#Natural Fibers

2025-11-04

Bangladesh becomes World's largest importer in 2024/25 after China cuts imports by 65% to 1.1 million tonnes

As we prepare to turn the calendar on 2025, world cotton lint production currently is estimated to be about 25.4 million tonnes — roughly the same as the last season — surpassing the world cotton lint consumption by 392,000 tonnes.

World trade was 7.4% lower in the 2024/25 season at 9.1 million tonnes mainly due to decreased import demand from China (down 65%), which more than offsets any increase in imports from other regions. Tariff escalations also caused considerable changes in the trade forecasts and trade baskets for cotton lint in the current season, and we expect the impact to continue in the coming months/seasons.

Other notable findings in the November CTM:

In the 2025/26 season, the top cotton lint producers are estimated to remain the same as last season, with slight changes in their world market share.

Both yields and the world area under cotton are held very close to the last season. The area is estimated to be about 30.4 million hectares and the yield is held at about 835 kg/ha — slightly higher than the decade average

Consumption will also be led by China, comprising 32% of total world consumption, followed by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Türkiye, together comprising 76% of total world consumption.

ICAC’s Statistical Data Portal

For the most current statistics, please refer to the ICAC’s Statistics Portal. It is updated with new data constantly, and that new information is immediately reflected in the Portal, making it a valuable resource all month long.

ICAC’s Price Projections

The Secretariat’s current Cotlook A price forecast for the 2025/26 season, based on current supply and demand estimates, ranges from 62 to 91 cents per pound, with a midpoint of 74 cents per pound. ICAC’s price projections are made by Ms Lorena Ruiz, ICAC Economist.

The author of Cotton This Month is Parkhi Vats, ICAC Economic Affairs Officer. You can email her with comments and questions by clicking here.

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The next Cotton This Month will be released on February 2, 2025.

ICAC to collaborate with Uzbekistan and Bizpando on regenerative agriculture

The Government of Uzbekistan has allocated 55,000 hectares of land to implement a regenerative agriculture program for cotton as part of a collaborative project with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and Bizpando, a company with a a blockchain-based internet platform designed to ensure supply chain compliance.

ICAC announces postponement of the 83rd Plenary Meeting in Tanzania

Due to unforeseen circumstances arising from the recent developments in Tanzania, the ICAC has announced that its upcoming 83rd Plenary Meeting has been postponed. Scheduled for Nov. 17-20 in Mwanza, the delay was recommended by Tanzania, and the decision was made out of an abundance of caution, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants.

World Cotton Trade declined 4.1% in 2024/25, according to ICAC's 2025 World Cotton Trade Report

Washington, DC — The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has released the 2025 World Cotton Trade Report, which covers trade developments in raw cotton since 1980. An annual publication, it provides analysis of world trade by region; import/export projections by country; matrices of trade flows; and seasonal estimates of export commitments to date.

ICAC releases 2025 edition of the Specialty Cotton Report

The ICAC has released the newest edition of the Specialty Cotton Report, a free publication that was created in 2023 to highlight the many new "identity cotton programs" that have been emerging around the world, in addition to covering long-staple (LS) and extra-long staple (ELS) cotton. For the ICAC's purposes, "specialty cotton" refers to any cotton that is remarkable in some way — LS, ELS, or falls under a specific identity program.

38th International Cotton Conference Bremen launches registration and unveils key topics

Participants can now register online for the 38th International Cotton Conference Bremen, which will be held on 25-27 March 2026 at the Haus der Bürgerschaft parliament building on market square. All visitors can look forward to a high-calibre conference programme, numerous additional meetings and a valuable exchange of knowledge and information. The comprehensive range of topics covering the entire value chain will provide practical expertise, address current developments, answer key industry questions, and provide new impetus for the future.

Uster presents novelties at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025

There’s news from Uster Technologies to be announced for the industry’s upcoming event in Singapore. The Uster 360Q universe is growing with new products, solutions and services. Innovation developments can also be recorded in the fields of man-made fiber testing and fabric inspection. Uster innovations address the industry’s trending topics as mill management and process control, optimization of delivered fabric quality and yield.

India ITME Society pushes trade & technology alliances in Singapore

India ITME Society hosted India Networking Program - Fabricating the Future of Textile Industry- From Heritage to High-Tech” on 29th October 2025 at Singapore an exclusive gathering of Ministry of Textile Officials, Embassy Officials, Entrepreneurs, Technocrats, Industry Organizations and Media Personnel's designed to foster collaboration, exchange ideas and explore opportunities in the Indian Textile & Textile Engineering Sector.

Innovation and customer proximity – KARL MAYER’s clear focus makes an impression

ITMA ASIA in Singapore was a resounding success for KARL MAYER, exceeding all expectations. The company welcomed visitors from 39 countries and held around 570 expert discussions. Most guests came from India, followed by China, Indonesia and Pakistan. The exchange with them was both well-founded and targeted. Conversation topics ranged from investment projects and new technologies to opportunities for cooperation and business expansion.