News
The ICAC Releases Its 2025/26 World Cotton Market Projections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date Posted: June 2, 2025
Washington, DC — The ICAC's 2025/26 season projections are holding steady as we begin June, with cotton production and consumption projected to be around 26 million tonnes and 25.7 million tonnes, respectively, while trade is forecasted to rebound to reach 9.7 million tonnes.
In terms of production by region, we are posting upward revisions for Brazil, USA, and the West African region — but they are likely to be negated by slight reduction from China in 2025/26.
After China's exceptional yields of 2257 kg/ha — the highest levels ever recorded — the ICAC projects that China will produce about 6.3 million tonnes of cotton, which is slightly less than the current season but still the most in the world.
Consumption is expected to remain under pressure, given the upcoming tariff escalations, regulatory concerns, and fiber market competition. World cotton trade is projected to rebound by 2% to reach 9.65 million tonnes due to increased stocks from the current season and projected mill demand, but trade deals and tariffs may have an impact on the cotton trade next season.
Dr Matthew Looney has resigned as Data Scientist at the ICAC. The new 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 June 2, 2025.
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About the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
Formed in 1939, the ICAC is an association of cotton producing, consuming, trading, and investing countries. It acts as a catalyst for change by helping Member governments maintain a healthy world cotton economy; provides transparency to the world cotton market by serving as a clearinghouse for technical information on cotton production; and serves as a forum for discussing cotton issues of international significance. In addition, Members can take advantage of the ICAC’s global network of cotton researchers, whose expertise covers the supply chain from farm to textile manufacturing, and have free access to its cutting-edge technologies like the voice-based app and virtual reality cotton training program. Committed to ensuring cotton’s continued sustainability, the ICAC is the only intergovernmental commodity body covering cotton that is recognized by the United Nations. For more information, please visit www.icac.org, Twitter or LinkedIn.