Group of ministers to decide on cotton export

MUMBAI: A group of miniters will decide on increasing the export limit of cotton exports from the current 5.5 million bales, trade secretary Rahul Khullar said on Thursday.

India has revised downwards its cotton output estimates for 2010/11 by more than 5 percent, due to untimely rain, dimming chances of exports topping the currently permitted 5.5 million bales.

The Indian cotton year runs from October to September. One bale is equal to 170 kg.

Indian trade minister Anand Sharma has earlier said in April that the government will decide on allowing more cotton exports after the new harvest in October.