Globe bids up cotton, US switches to plain clothes diet

[Horn]

World cotton production is likely to touch a record 126 million bales in the 2011-12, driven by an expansion in plantings in most producing countries, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee(ICAC).

The global cotton production stood at 112 million bales last year. One bale is equal to 170 kg.

"Global cotton production is expected to rise by over 12 per cent to a record of 27.4 million tonnes (126 million bales) in 2011-12. However, the projected increase in production is relatively small considering the doubling of prices experienced in 2010-11," the Washington-based ICAC said on its website.

Competition from food crops and limited natural resources including land, seeds, water and farm equipments are preventing cotton area from rising further in this year, it said.

Consequently, world cotton area is projected to rise by seven per cent in 2011-12 to 36 million hectares, the largest in 17 years, in response to record prices last year, it said.

The New York futures contract of cotton for March 2011 delivery rose from 77 cents per pound in August last year to a record 205 cents per pound in February, this year.

ICAC also said that world cotton production is expected to outstrip demand of 117 million bales this year.

"Rising cotton output will feed demand this year, but high prices and competition from chemical fibres could limit growth in consumption to three per cent," it noted.

As a result, the global ending stocks are projected to increase to 47 million bales, it added. China and India are the world's top two cotton producers.

ICAC, which has 42 member countries, assists governments in fostering a healthy world cotton economy by providing statistics on global cotton production, consumption, trade and stocks besides identifying emerging changes in the structure of the world cotton market.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/icac-pegs-record-global-cotton-output-at-126-mn-bales-this-yr-/132048/on

[MNeagle]

Hemmed In by Cotton, Hanes Eases Into Flax

Soaring Prices Lead Clothing Maker to Try an Alternative, Reflecting Urgency of Bringing Experimental Blends to Market.


BY RACHEL DODES
Pressured by rising cotton prices, $4.3-billion-a-year apparel maker HanesBrands Inc. is developing new products made from a crop more often found in cereal: flax.

Last month, Naturally Advanced Technologies, a small Portland, Ore., maker of sustainable fabrics, said it signed a 10-year deal with Hanes to "commercialize" flax fiber. The fiber is typically discarded after the plant is harvested for its seeds and oil, which are used in health foods and industrial products.

Clothing companies are always searching for alternative fibers that will improve performance or cut costs. But the move by Hanes, known for its cotton-based undergarments and active ...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703696704576222800474866630.html


Why they're not pursuing hemp fiber, is beyond me... politics?

[Horn]

USDA’s March 31 Prospective Plantings report was a surprise to many, projecting cotton plantings at 12.56 million acres of upland and Pima. The market reacted fairly strongly with new crop cotton prices moving to just under $1.40 per pound.

Robinson thinks cotton acreage may end up a couple of percentage points higher than March projections.

“How much acreage is actually planted is a matter of economics and weather. The average change from March estimates and what actually is planted in June is about 4 percent up or down. I would expect that the final number will be higher in that when we have dry weather in Southwest, we tend to have more plantings, something pushing 13 million aces would be all I would expect. But even if the number goes higher, there is no indication that actual bales will be higher because of the dry weather.”

USDA’s April 8 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates confirmed very tight and bullish conditions in old crop cotton, Robinson noted. “We did see indications of higher production in Brazil, but this was more than offset by forecasted reductions in other parts of the world. The result was a decrease in production which combined with an increase in mill use is a price supporting scenario.

“For new crop cotton, the implication is that the carryin may be much smaller, unless there is a decline in foreign consumption between now and July.”

Weather continues to be a big concern for U.S. cotton acres and production, noted Robinson. Exceptionally dry weather was continuing to hang over much of the U.S. cotton-producing region at the time of this writing.

“Extreme drought conditions are spread from southeastern Arizona to the Mississippi River. Most of the reporting districts in Texas are reporting 90 percent of their acreage in the very short category in regard to topsoil moisture. That’s bad for emerging crops and for crops yet to be planted. We’re in a very iffy situation.

“It’s reasonable to expect lower yields and higher abandonment. Until we have a clearer picture, I would expect new crop futures to remain high and volatile. The likely range of the December contract is between $1.20 and $1.50 for the next couple of months. The extremes could be a dollar at the lowest to a $1.80 at the highest.”

Robinson pointed out that while the drought has grabbed headlines for the moment, “the future outcome is still uncertain and is complicated. As bad as things look with the drought right now, we could all be very surprised with the crop outcome. It could be better than we expect. In 2006, we had similar conditions and projections of tight stocks, but it started raining in August and we ended up with average yields of over 800 pounds.”

Another scenario might be a poor crop in the United States, with good crops elsewhere around the world, combined with a flattening out of consumption.

“We could see a situation where we have tight stocks, our futures markets are getting pumped up by speculative buying and leaving the real cash market behind. Our exports would wither away and prices could come crashing down.

“We have to be mindful of what is going on in the rest of the world. A lot bears are watching closely. We need to keep an eye on the next WASDE report and USDA’s June 30 planted acreage report.”

Pricing cotton is very important, noted Carl Anderson, professor Extension specialist emeritus. “The deadline for entering your cotton in organized pools has probably already passed for most. But take a new look at the marketing associations. Producers need to get some kind of floor in at a reasonable cost. We’d like to see the floor at somewhere between $1.30 and $1.40 on as much as 50 percent of the crop. Don’t overlook the electronic marketing like The Seam. It’s very efficient.”

O.A. Cleveland, professor emeritus, Mississippi State University, does not believe higher cotton prices are resulting in demand destruction for cotton. “We are still seeing cotton apparel moving off the shelves. I’m just not seeing a consumption problem.”

http://deltafarmpress.com/cotton/drought-big-worry-cotton-planting-begins

[Horn]

http://www.pdf-internacional.com/logos/01589_cotton_symbol.jpg

Its whats for dinner.

[iOWNme]

Bacillus Thuringiensis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis)

Lets ask Monsanto if they like cotton, or BT?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frkz18wN0rM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JsjxgLSB_k&feature=related


Good info here, video a bit....weird.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RPwMD7GXTk



WE ARE BEING POISONED ON ALL FRONTS.


Not to mention, why are we still using cotton? Hemp would DESTROY this industry over night. Imagine having a T-shirt that lasted 20 years.....And thats just the beginning.