WASHINGTON, May 19: Indian cotton production in 2006-07 is forecast to rise to 24 million bales (170-kg per bale) due to higher plantings that would make it the second largest crop on record, according to a US Agriculture department attaché’s report released on Thursday.

The attache also said cotton exports were expected to increase to 3.5 million bales from 3.2 million bales in 2005-06.

The attache said Mexican cotton production for 2006-07 is forecast at 617,000 bales (480 pound/bale), a decrease of 1.5 per cent from 2005-06.

In Pakistan, the 2006-07 crop is forecast to be the second largest ever at 2.312m tons, up from 2.143 million tons last year.

Turkey’s crop is estimated at 900,000 tons from 750,000 in 2005-06 as more cotton is planted.

Attache’s reports are not official USDA data.—Reuters