China's cotton output this year is expected to reach 5.45 million tons, down 13.8 percent year on year, said the China Cotton Association on Thursday.

The association predicted China's cotton demand this year is to hit 9.4 million tons, up 10 percent year on year, with the gap between demand and supply expanding.

The association attributed the cotton output decrease to the frequent rains during the harvest season. By the end of October this year, the total cotton purchase amount was 2.56 million tons, up 22 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency December 9, 2005)