China may be forced to import over 50% of its cotton needs, as the cotton output is still failing to meet demand, and the gap has been widened to the extent that by the end of the 11th Five-Year Program period (2006-2010), according to China Cotton Association.

Chinese textile industry will be maintaining strong growth in the 11th Five-Year Program period. If the country´s annual yarn output grows 7.5% in the period, by 2010, Chinese cotton consumption will top 14 million tons, an increase of 4.3 million tons or up 44% year on year.

The capacity of China´s cotton producer to meet this spiraling demand is limited by such factors as the potential cultivated land area and water resources, Zhou said. Although China´s cotton output has grown 5.3 per cent in 2000-2006, it is eclipsed by the 15.1 per cent growth in average annual consumption. As a result, China´s cotton import has increased year by year.

In 2003-2005, China imported 7.6 million tons of cotton, equal to 45% of China´s cotton output in the period. If China´s cotton growing area stabilizes at 85 million mu (15 mu equals one hectare), with a per unit yield of 80 kg, the country´s total output likely to hit the record level of 6.8 million tons in 2006-2010. However, even such growth will result in an annual shortfall of seven million tons.

China´s yarn output reported an average annual growth of 16.9%, while textile and garments exports surge 17.2% in the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2000-2005).

Source：CCPIT TEX