Increase in cotton imports from Brazil, India imports more, exports less
2025-07-31 12:13:52
Cotton Import: Cotton imports from Brazil are increasing; India imports more, exports less
Cotton imports in the country are increasing this year due to decline in production in the country and low prices in the international market. In the first 8 months of the current season, imports have reached the highest level in the last six years. The country imported 27 lakh bales of cotton. It is worth noting that this year more imports have been made from Brazil than from America and Australia. Prices are still low in the international market. Therefore, importers say that cotton imports are likely to increase further.
India is known as a cotton exporter. However, imports are increasing due to decline in production and increase in consumption in the country. Cotton production in the country has reached the lowest level in the last several years this year. On the other hand, cotton consumption is stable. Therefore, India has to meet its needs by importing cotton. Secondly, production in the country has decreased, but prices have also improved due to increased demand. Meanwhile, there is pressure on cotton prices in the international market. Due to this, imports are increasing in the country.
During the 8 months from October 2024 to May 2025, the country has imported the most in the last 6 years. In the last financial year, 15 lakh bales of cotton were imported. Earlier in 2018-19, 35 lakh bales of cotton were imported. Imports have also increased after production remained low in the country and consumption increased. However, exports are being seen at the lowest level in the last 18 years. So far, only 13 lakh bales of cotton have been exported from the country. Earlier, the lowest export of 23 lakh bales of cotton was in 2008-09. Exporters say that the possibility of such exports is low this year.
In the current season i.e. in the first 8 months of 2024-25, 27 lakh bales of cotton were imported. The highest imports were from Brazil. Because the prices of Brazilian cotton remained low. So far this year, six and a half lakh bales of cotton have been imported from Brazil. After this, five and a half lakh bales of cotton have been imported from America, five lakh bales from Australia, one lakh 79 thousand bales from Mali and 83 thousand bales from Egypt. It is worth noting that the prices of cotton in all these countries were lower than in India. Due to this, the import of cotton in the country has increased.
