China's agriculture ministry said it is urging local authorities to persuade farmers to maintain their cotton acreage after a survey showed they intended to grow less of the fibre this year.

Farmers, in the largest growing country, are likely to plant 11.6% less cotton as planting started in the month of April because a slowdown in textile exports has cut cotton demand and caused prices to slide.

The government has expanded its subsidy on high-yield seeds to farmers in 25 provinces instead of eight, but still this year's production was being pressured by cheap imports and more labour input.  The Ministry will promote more high-yield cotton and increase intensive plantings in more areas to help improve returns for farmers.

To shore up domestic prices, Beijing has agreed to buy 2.72 million tonnes for state reserves from farmers, which accounts for 36% of the domestic harvest last year.

China, the world's largest cotton consumer, also imported 46%  less of the fibre in the first three months of the current  year as demand for textile products from the United States and Europe, its major exporting destinations, has fallen amid the global economic recession. China imported 14% less cotton in 2008 at 2.11 million tonnes, of which nearly half were from the United States.