CNCotton: Cotton Research Institute of China Academy of Agricultural Science, in collaboration with the technical support team of National High-quality Cotton Base, made a survey with 16 provinces (3624 farmers in 111 counties) and released a report on the growing conditions by the middle of May. The report is highlighted as a poor start for 2006 cotton production and a comparable situation for the same period in 2003, reflecting the most unfavorable condition in five years. At the same time, in view of the regional differences, it is recommended that more effort is made in promoting field management to ensure a more balanced growing condition.
The cotton growing condition, as measured by China Cotton Growing Index, is 75 in May. The overall crop condition is 25% lower than year ago level and represent 796% of the previous four year average rate. Thousands of hectares was replanted due to a massive disaster. The situation is found quite similar with the comparable period in 2003 and also the worst in five years.
By mid May, domestic cotton fields are widely affected by a series of adverse weather patterns including chilly weather and excessive moisture, frozen damage, severe sandstorms and hailstorms, drought and high humidity, inadequate sunshine, etc. Delayed transplantation and slow emergence, large replanting and non-emergence acres due to disasters, highly imbalanced crop conditions are widely noted. Conditions are better in the east China plain than in the north China plain and situation in the northwest regions is the worst. The"very poor" crops appeared in the north Xinjiang, west Yellow River corridor, extra early-matured regions and the northern part of the North China plain. Discrepancies between early and late emergence is as wide as one month.
CCGI for the east China plain is 86 in May, compared to 101 in 2005. The index for the north China plain is 80 in May, identical to year ago level. Crop index for north Xinjiang is only 65, compared to 105 in 2005. For the extra early-matured regions, the rate is as low as 19, sharply down from 100 in May last year.
