Australia's cotton industry says it's too late for precipitation

Recently, heavy rains fell in the inland areas of eastern Australia, but for the US$1.5 billion Australian cotton industry, the rains came too late. Australia’s cotton production in 2008 will be the lowest in 30 years.　　 Australian Cotton Chief Executive Adam Kay said that Australia expects to harvest approximately 500,000 bales of cotton, valued at US$259 million.　　 He said that the output is about 83% lower than the 3 million bales in a normal year.　　Kay said that in recent days, widespread rainfall from southern Queensland to western New South Wales and western New South Wales has helped cotton planting, but for many growers, the rain came too late because the planting window was basically closed.　　Many cotton farmers have planted alternative crops for summer income, such as corn and soybeans, especially in southern Queensland and western New South Wales, where precipitation is welcomed by local farmers.　　The amount of stored water on the farm will be replenished from rainwater, which means that the growing conditions of cotton crops will be improved next year.