Heat Waves Forecast to Bake China’s Already Smaller Cotton Crop

(Bloomberg) — Heat waves are predicted to hit China’s top cotton-producing region of Xinjiang this month, threatening to further reduce output that is already compromised by late planting and earlier cold snaps.

High temperatures are expected in major growing areas of the northwestern region from mid-July, a key period for flowering and boll development, with the mercury climbing above 40 degrees Celcius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some districts, according to the National Meteorological Center. The heat could cause flowers and bolls to fall, leading to a smaller crop, COFCO Futures said in a report Wednesday.