China 2018/19 cotton imports forecast lower at 1.5 million tonnes

BEIJING, Nov 8 (Reuters) - China revised down its forecast for imports of cotton in the 2018/19 crop year to 1.5 million tonnes, compared with last month’s forecast of 2 million tonnes, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Thursday.

Output of the fibre in 2018/19 is forecast to be 5.94 million tonnes versus last month’s 5.8 million tonnes, according to the ministry’s monthly China Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates.

Cotton ending stocks are forecast at 6.38 million tonnes versus a previous forecast of 6.74 million tonnes. (Reporting by Dominique Patton; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)