Cotton export drops 27% in 2024-25 season

Cotton marketing season (October to September) 2024-25 ended with total exports at 23.50 lakh bales. These were 27% lower than the volume shipped in the previous season of 2023-24. However, it was against the 41% jump in exports in 2023-24, which had followed over 50% drop in 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

Total exports during the 2024-25 were worth INR5,878 crore or US$690 million.

In 2024-25, Bangladesh was the single largest importer of Indian cotton, followed by Vietnam and Indonesia. Bangladesh alone accounted for 74% of India’s cotton export during the season. This implies that India textile exports is still of low value added products, wherein Bangladesh exports higher value added products like apparel and garment by importing key raw material from India. Similar is the case with spun yarns and filaments.

Export price (FOB) realisation averaged US cents 78.32 per pound in 2024-25. This was slightly lower than Cotlook A index, the global spot price benchmark but higher compared to spot prices for benchmark Gujarat Shankar-6. During the season, Cotlook averaged US cents 79.08 per pound while Shankar-6 averaged US cents 81.08 per pound.

Source: Fibre to Yarn Export Statistics – India