Chaos prevailed in cotton trade on Monday after the Government banned raw cotton exports with immediate effect, catching shippers, industry and growers by surprise. In a notification issued, surprisingly early in the morning, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said even exports of cotton for which registration certificates have been issued will not be allowed. The ban follows registration of over 12.5 million bales (of 170 kg each) of cotton for exports. A Government statement in the evening said the ban was imposed due to higher than anticipated exports and fears of a tendency to hoard cotton in bonded warehouses abroad.