Browse Data and Analysis

Uzbekistan’s cotton sector is at a crossroads. While opportunities for high-value-added products like textiles and ready-to-wear apparel are expanding, the industry faces financial constraints, shrinking farmland, and water shortages.

India’s fiber market is dominated by cotton, however, increased international demand for sustainable fibers is driving apparel and textile manufacturers to utilize hemp.

After four successive years of big cotton crop production in Australia, the forecast for marketing year (MY) 2025/26 falls to 4.1 million bales, 13 percent above the previous 10-year average.

For marketing year (MY) 2025/26, Post forecasts a slight increase in cotton imports due to increasing demand in the ready-made garments industry.

FAS Mumbai forecasts marketing year (MY) 2025/26 India cotton production at 25 million 480 lb. bales on 11.4 million hectares of planted area, a three percent decrease from the previous year due to an expected shift of planted area to higher-return crops such as pulses and oilseeds.

Driven by a minor increase in area and assuming average yields, cotton production is expected to increase somewhat in 2025/26. With expectations for continued strong export demand, domestic use is forecast to grow modestly in 2025/26.

Uzbekistan plans to increase its textile exports from $3 billion to $7 billion by 2028, which depends on a stable supply of raw cotton. However, this goal faces challenges as cotton production is under pressure due to various factors.

FAS Mumbai forecasts marketing year (MY) 2024/25 cotton production at 25 million 480 lb. bales on 11.8 million hectares, unchanged from the previous forecast. The official government production forecast of 23.4 million 480 lb. bales is lower due to a lower planted area estimate of 11.4 million hectares, and expected lower yields.

On November 5, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare published a marketing year 2024/25 production forecast at the lowest level in five years, at 23.4 million 480 lb. bales on an area of 11.4 million hectares.

The cotton production forecast for 2024/25 has been revised downward to 5.2 million bales, with the area unchanged at 2 million hectares.

FAS Mumbai forecasts MY 2024/25 Indian raw cotton exports at 1.2 million 480 lb. bales, 55 percent lower than previous estimate, due to India lint prices trading four percent higher than global prices, prompting buyers to prefer finer quality machine-picked cotton from foreign origins.

In marketing year (MY) 2024/25, Post forecasts cotton acreage and production slightly lower at 45,000 hectares and 153,000 bales, due to heavy rain in some cotton growing districts during the seed sowing period. For MY 2024/25, Post also forecasts...