WITH water returning to storages across the state Cotton Australia chief executive Adam Kay says there are prospects of a two-million-bale crop this season.
"We're obviously coming off a low base of 550,000 to 600,000 last year, but it's getting better every day," he told The Land.
"Really we want four million, that's about what we can get," he said.
He said Keepit, Split Rock and Copeton dams in the state's north were improving but "aren't there yet".
"Burrinjuck, Blowering and the Hume are heading in the right direction," he said, and with each bit of rain and the coming snow melt things were improving.
"While it's exciting it's improving, it's certainly not incredible yet," said Mr Kay.
"Given the awful conditions of the past few years, quite a few growers have put in a winter crop of wheat.
"There's a lot of wheat down and when conditions started to turn you can hardly be surprised that people thought "let's get something in now".
Mr Kay said he thought there would be about 80,000 hectares of irrigated cotton planted in NSW, and probably about the same in Queensland.
It was too early to make any sort of estimation about dryland planting, he said, but growers were keen.
"People are excited about the El Nino alert and a wet summer would be terrific."
Mr Kay said NSW would most likely plant more dryland cotton than Qld at this stage.
Mr Kay lamented the fact that international prices had probably come off about 20 per cent since the beginning of the year, but it was to be expected because of COVID-19.
"Globally a lot of retail stores have closed and the demand for textiles is down right across the board," said Mr Kay.
"The reduction in demand is working its way through the supply chain," he said.
These market stagnations had brought the price back from about $620 a bale to $500, but a price of about $500 was acceptable.
He said said Australia was better placed than its international competitors.
"Even though we're quite a small producer globally our practices stand us in good stead.
"You know, Brazil has upped the ante and is producing more, but we're at an advantage because we have a great quality product.
"And Australian growers are far more sustainable than most," said Mr Kay.
He dismissed criticism of cotton being a thirsty crop and said it was a normal irrigated cotton that was quite efficient turning water into fibre.
"The assumption that most cotton growers are corporations is incorrect, most cotton growers are family operations that also grow wheat and will switch to what makes money."
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