Browse Data and Analysis

FAS Mumbai estimates marketing year (MY) 2023/24 India cotton production at 25.5 million 480 lb. bales on 12.4 million hectares area planted, a decrease from the previous year due to the expectation that farmers will shift cotton acreage to higher return crops such as oilseeds and pulses.

Post estimates that Vietnam cotton imports in marketing year 2022/23 (MY22/23) will decrease at least 5 percent year on year to nearly 6.3 million bales due to ongoing global low demand for textile and apparel products.

The February 6, 2023 earthquakes greatly affected Kahramanmaras, the center of Turkiye's cotton yarn and textile production, but the industry is already on the road to recovery.

Cotton production is forecast to rebound 36 percent to 5.3 million bales in 2023/24. After the flood damaged 2022/23 crop, yields should return to trend, while better returns from competing crops will limit area expansion.

The drought in Andalucía is anticipated to prevent further expansion of Spain’s cotton area in MY 2023/24. Irrigation water allocation will be critical for farmer’s planting decisions, and temperatures and pest incidence during the summer months will also determine final yields.

Cotton production in Australia is primed for a near record 5.8 million bales in MY 2023/24, stringing together three successive big crops starting from the record 5.85 million bales in MY 2021/22.

Post forecasts MY2022/23 cotton imports to increase 4 percent but remain well below the 5-year average annual import demand from MY2017/18 – MY2021/22 in anticipation of slow economic recovery in 2023.

Cotton production in Peru is estimated to reach 16,000 MT in CY 2023, increasing 8 percent compared to the previous year.

The 2022/23 cotton import forecast is reduced from 5 to 4.5 million bales due to the problems importers are facing in financing imports. Since December 2022, Pakistan’s shortage of dollars has hindered cotton importers’ ability to fulfill payment...

Indonesian cotton imports in 2021/22 increased by 11.7 percent to 2.57 million bales due to increased economic activity following relaxed COVID-19 restrictions. However, due to the global economic slowdown leading to lower demand for Indonesian textiles and products, cotton imports in 2022/23 are forecast to slightly decline to 2.50 million bales.

U.S. agricultural exports to China in fiscal year (FY) 2022 were $36.4 billion and surpassed the previous year’s record with China as the largest export market for the second consecutive year. Significantly higher agricultural prices and resilient demand helped drive exports above the previous year’s record despite lower volumes for most products.

Post forecasts 2022/23 planted cotton area at 1.66 million hectares (ha), with production at 13.3 million bales (2.89 million metric tons, MMT), about a 13 percent increase from the 2021/22 estimated production of 11.52 million bales (2.5 MMT). Cotton area is forecast to rise because of favorable weather leading to timely first-season soybean planting and improved yields, as well as a favorable outlook for prices and profitability.