Fuente: Ali Baba
BEIJING, Feb 25 China, the worlds largest cotton consumer, produced 6.4 million tonnes of cotton in 2009, down 14.6 percent from 2008, National Bureau of Statistics figures showed on Thursday.The figure was in line with earlier estimates by the bureau, but lower than the agricultural ministrys forecast of 6.7 million tonnes.ID:nTOE5BM034Lower domestic output could prompt China, the worlds largest cotton importer, to buy more from abroad to meet demand from its textile industry, with exports seen improving this year.Chinas cotton imports in January rose 286.4 percent from a year ago to more than 301,359 tonnes. January imports were also up 39 percent from December when Beijing completed sales of domestic stocks.Transport problems have blocked supplies from the countrys largest cotton area of Xinjiang, triggering tight supplies.In January, imports from India surged 2,866 percent from a year ago to 171,998 tonnes while imports from the United States, the largest exporter, fell 15 percent on year. (For details, search on SOF/CN).Chinas exports of textile products and garments in January rose 2.3 percent from a year ago, official figures showed.

Fuente: Ali Baba – Hong Kong – Hong Kong – China