India's cotton imports to double as output falls short, says trade body

Higher imports by world's second-largest producer of the fibre could support global prices, which fell to their lowest in more than 4 years after top consumer China levied duties on imports from US

India's cotton imports in 2024/25 are likely to double from a year ago as production is set to fall below consumption because of a decline in acreage planted and adverse weather, a leading trade body said on Tuesday.

Higher imports by the world's second-largest producer of the fibre could support global prices, which fell to their lowest in more than four years after top consumer China levied duties on imports from the United States.

India could import 3 million bales in the current marketing year ending on September 30, up from 1.52 million bales imported a year ago, the Cotton Association of India (CAI) said in a statement.

During the period from October to February, 2.2 million bales of overseas cotton landed at Indian ports, according to CAI estimates.

India's cotton production in the current year is likely to fall by 10 per cent from a year ago, to 29.53 million bales, even as demand is estimated to rise marginally to 31.5 million bales, it said.

This would cause exports to fall to 1.7 million bales from 2.84 million bales a year ago, the CAI said.