In order to meet the growing demand of local market, China needs to import about 600,00 tons of cotton this year.

Shi Jianwei, director of the Cotton and Sesame Department of the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, said the country''s cotton production would not exceed 6 million tons this year.

Statistics released by the State Statistics Bureau in late June showed that China''s cotton output in 2003 was expected to reach 5.65 million tons.

However, cotton consumption by textile mills alone is estimated at around 6.3 million tons. If combined with cotton consumption for other purposes, the figure will reach 6.6 million tons.

Cotton growing land in China stands around 67.03 million mu, about 4.47 million hectares.