PRELIMINARY FORECASTS SUGGEST STABLE WORLD COTTON AREA IN 2008/09

摘要

At the end of November 2007, most of the 2007/08 northern hemisphere cotton crop had been harvested, and ginning and marketing were well underway. Farmers were starting to think about 2008/09. To make planting decisions, farmers usually compare expected net income (yield * price — cost of production) from alternative crops. Other factors that can influence planting decisions are access to credit and inputs, weather before and at planting time, available irrigation water, available agricultural land,government policies, investments in agricultural machinery, crop rotation constraints, and availability of improved seeds.