The quality of the US cotton crop in 2003 is the best it has been in several years, especially since most areas enjoyed near-ideal growing weather, a USDA official said Thursday.
Robbie Seals, chief of the grading branch of the USDA based in Memphis, Tennessee, told delegates at the annual Beltwide cotton conference here that the quality of US upland cotton is "as good or higher" when compared to cotton crops over the last six years.
He said the amount of leaf grade in the crop in 2003 stood at 3.1 percent versus 3.4 percent in 2002, the presence of extraneous material was at 2.6 percent against 6.6 percent in 2002, and the colour grade was at 96 versus 75 in 2002. A higher grade in colour is more desirable for processors of cotton.
The average length reached 34.8 over 32nd of an inch against 34.4 last year. A longer length is needed by spinners because it helps them in turning the cotton into finished apparel, trade sources said.
The micronaire reading was 4.5 in 2003 versus 4.6 in 2002, according to Seals.
The Beltwide Cotton Conference is the biggest annual meeting of the US cotton industry that features projections of supply and demand trends for the upcoming season.
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