Total availability this year is 176.9 lakh bales including 5 lakh bales of cotton imported, and the previous year's surplus stock which is 24.02 lakh bales. Unsold cotton this year is 28.15 lakh bales. As per recent calculations, of an estimated 28.5 lakh cotton bales output in the northern zone comprising Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP, 28.25 lakh bales have already arrived at the mandis.

Gujarat leads this year in cotton with arrivals touching 38.75 lakh bales against a target of 41 lakh bales. MP mandis have witnessed cotton arrivals of 19.25 lakh bales against the estimated production of 20.5 lakh bales.

Maharashtra showed a lower output this year, mainly due to drought that affected yields, at 19.25 lakh bales against the estimated 20.5 lakh bales. Cotton crop arrivals in AP, also hit by the drought, have been almostnearer to production estimates at 23.25 lakh bales. Estimates for AP was 24 lakh bales.

Cotton arrivals in Karnataka and TN at the end of May were 8.5 lakh bales and 5.5 lakh bales respectively. The output in both the states had been estimated to be 8.5 lakh bales and 6 lakh bales respectively. The unsold stock lying in various parts of the country is estimated to be 23.75 lakh bales. The segregated position of unsold stock is: Northern zone- 2.5 lakh bales, Gujarat-4.5 lakh bales, Maharashtra-10.5 lakh bales, MP-2.25 lakh bales, AP-2.5 lakh bales and Karnataka- lakh bales.

The arrivals of cotton during the current cotton year is estimated to be (arrivals in the previous year): Oct- 5.27 (8.75) lakh bales, Nov- 24.15 (22.05) lakh bales, Dec-48.7 (55.1) lakh bales,Jan-85 (88.1) lakh bales, Feb-105 (117.3) lakh bales, Mar-123.5 (138.85) lakh bales, April- 136.4 (154.5) lakh bales, May 148.75 (165.45) lakh bales, Jun-151.5 ( 174) lakh bales, Jul-153 (175.58) lakh bales, Aug-154 (176.25) lakh bales andSept-154 (176.25) lakh bales.

The 4.50 lakh bales unsold stock lying in Gujarat comprises of Sankar-6 A grade 40,000 bales, B grade 1.00 lakh bales, C and D grade 1.75 lakh bales and short staple 1.35 lakh bales.