Cotton prices will be “strong” over the next year, after a decline following October’s harvest, said Jack Scoville , a vice-president at Price Futures Group Inc.

Cotton futures fell on speculation that last week’s rally to a four-month high had gone too far, with U.S. farmers expected to begin harvesting their biggest crop in three years. Orange-juice futures declined.

Cotton for December delivery rose 0.03 cent to 84.21 cents a pound at 10:39 a.m. on ICE Futures U.S. in New York. Earlier, the most-active contract fell as much as 0.3 percent and gained 0.7 percent.

FARMERS are considering planting Australia's biggest cotton crop in five years, as good rainfall and a rise in world prices make it more attractive than other summer crops.

Cotton may climb to the highest price since 1995 as rising demand in emerging markets for everything from shirts to bed sheets forces textile makers to restock inventories that are the tightest in 13 years.