The industry has cut cotton production forecast for the fourth time in the current crop season 2022-23. According to production estimates released by the industry on Thursday, a total of 313 lakh bales, one bale - 170 kg of cotton, is estimated to be produced in the current crop season, which is 8.5 lakh bales less than the third preliminary estimate. The Cotton Association of India, CAI had released an estimate of total production of 321.50 lakh bales by reducing the estimate released on February 14, 2023 by 9 lakh bales. Earlier, on January 14, 2023, the Agricultural Market Price Service had released an estimate of total production of 330.50 lakh bales by cutting 9.25 lakh bales in the estimate released. It is known that the industry had cut the initial production estimate of cotton by 4.25 lakh bales on 20 December 2022. CAI had released an estimate of production of 344 lakh bales on 14 November 2022. According to CAI, the import of cotton in the current crop season is estimated to be only 12 lakh bales, as compared to 14 lakh bales imported in the previous crop season. From October 1 to February 28, 2023, 6 lakh bales of cotton have reached Indian ports. Cotton exports are expected to be only 30 lakh bales in the current season, which is 13 lakh bales less than 43 lakh bales in the last crop season. From October 1 to February 28, 2023, only 8 lakh bales of cotton have been exported. In the current crop season 2022-23, the production of cotton in Punjab is estimated to be 2.50 lakh bales, 11 lakh bales in Haryana, 17 lakh bales in Upper Rajasthan and 10.50 lakh bales in Lower Rajasthan. Hence: The production of cotton in the states of North India is estimated to be 41 lakh bales. The major cotton producing state Gujarat is estimated to produce 94 lakh bales, Maharashtra 78 lakh bales and Madhya Pradesh 19 lakh bales. Among the states of South India, the production of cotton is estimated at 38 lakh bales in Telangana, 11.50 lakh bales in Andhra Pradesh and 20 lakh bales in Karnataka, besides 5.50 lakh bales in Tamil Nadu. Apart from this, 3 lakh bales of cotton is estimated to be produced in Odisha and 3 lakh bales in other states. During the first four months of the current crop season starting from October 1, 2022, from October 28 to February 23, only 154.84 lakh bales have arrived in the producer mandis. The balance stock of cotton as on November 30, 2023, at the end of the current crushing season, is estimated to be 26.89 lakh bales.