CANBERRA, April 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raised its forecast for Australia's cotton production in the current season by 200,000 bales to 5 million and said the country would produce 5.5 million bales in the 2024/2025.
The USDA made the predictions in a report dated March 27, saying that cotton crops were likely to benefit from average rainfall during the southern hemisphere winter and spring and the area planted to cotton would increase in 2024/25.
The bulk of Australia's cotton is sown in the southern hemisphere autumn and harvested around April and May. Australia accounts for around 10-20% of world global cotton exports, shipping almost all of its production overseas.
Industry body Cotton Australia said last month the country would produce "at least" 4.5 million bales after widespread rainfall boosted yields.
(Reporting by Peter Hobson; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
