FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date Posted: October 1, 2026
Washington, DC — Global cotton consumption is projected to exceed production in the 2026/27 season as production, trade, and ending stocks decline modestly, according to the latest estimates from the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC). The decline in production is largely attributed to reduced cotton area across most major producing countries.
Global cotton production is projected at approximately 25.94 million tonnes in 2026/27, down 3.8% from 26.98 million tonnes in 2025/26. Consumption, meanwhile, is expected to increase by approximately 1.1%, from 25.85 million tonnes to 26.14 million tonnes.

The projections represent a notable shift in the global cotton balance. In 2025/26, production is estimated to exceed consumption by approximately 1.13 million tonnes. In 2026/27, that relationship is projected to reverse, with consumption exceeding production by approximately 201,000 tonnes.
Global Cotton Trade Projected to Ease
World cotton exports are projected to decline modestly in 2026/27, from approximately 9.87 million tonnes to 9.70 million tonnes, a decrease of about 1.7%.
The projected decline comes despite slightly higher global cotton consumption, highlighting a market in which overall mill use is expected to strengthen even as international trade volumes ease.
Ending Stocks Expected to Decline
Global ending stocks also are projected to decrease, from approximately 17.70 million tonnes in 2025/26 to 17.50 million tonnes in 2026/27, a decline of about 1.1%.
The combination of lower production, slightly higher consumption, and declining ending stocks points to a somewhat tighter global cotton balance in the coming season.
West Africa Cotton Sector Continues Long-Term Expansion
The October issue of Cotton This Month also includes an in-depth examination of the evolution of the cotton sector in West Africa, which has grown from a relatively small producer in the mid-20th century into one of the world’s most significant sources of export-oriented cotton. Average annual production has risen from approximately 27,000 tonnes in the 1940s to more than 1 million tonnes in the 2020s, although much of that growth has resulted from expanded cotton area rather than higher yields.
For 2026/27, West African cotton production is projected to increase by approximately 6% to 960,000 tonnes, with nearly all of the region’s output expected to be exported. The report examines challenges affecting further growth — including farm-gate prices, access to production inputs, pest pressure, and erratic weather — as well as opportunities to improve productivity and capture more value within the region.
The analysis highlights Côte d’Ivoire as an example of the potential for productivity gains. Cotton yields there increased from approximately 259 kg/ha in 2022/23 to 483 kg/ha in 2025/26, supported by improved pest management, better access to production inputs, and adaptations to changing rainfall patterns.
The report also identifies opportunities for the region to capture more value from cotton through expanded domestic processing, cotton by-products, biochar and Bokashi, and emerging export relationships. India increased imports from several West African origins in 2025/26, while expanded zero-tariff access to the Chinese market could create additional opportunities for African cotton exporters.
2026/27 Global Cotton Outlook
ICAC’s latest estimates project:
- Production: 25.94 million tonnes, down from 26.98 million tonnes
- Consumption: 26.14 million tonnes, up from 25.85 million tonnes
- Exports: 9.70 million tonnes, down from 9.87 million tonnes
- Ending stocks: 17.50 million tonnes, down from 17.70 million tonnes
Taken together, the projections suggest relatively modest year-to-year changes in the major global indicators, but with an important shift in the relationship between supply and use as consumption moves above production.Price Projections
The ICAC Secretariat forecasts the 2026/27 Cotlook A Index price to range between 65 and 99 cents per pound, with a midpoint of 80 cents per pound.
The author of Cotton This Month is Parkhi Vats, Principal Statistician & Data Architect at ICAC.
The next issue of Cotton This Month will be released on November 2, 2026.Real-time statistical updates are available continuously via the ICAC Data Portal.
To subscribe to Cotton This Month, please click here.
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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.
Dr Mansurbek Muminov is a senior scientist at the Scientific Research Institute of Fiber Crops in Uzbekistan. His efforts have focused on basic cotton ginning and spinning, and he has authored more than 10 comprehensive research papers in those areas.
Dr. Keshav R. Kranthi, Ph.D is the Chief Scientist at the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), Washington, DC. Before joining the ICAC, he served as the Director of the Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur, India, from 2008 to 2017. Dr. Kranthi has thirty-five years of experience as a cotton scientist. He received a gold medal in his Ph.D. in 1991 and has been honored with more than a dozen awards, including the Best CPP Program Award for Research Leadership by the Renewable Natural Resources Research International, UK; the ICAC Researcher of the Year Award in 2009; the Vasantrao Naik Smruti Pratisthan Award in 2004; the ICAR National Award for Leader of Best Team Research in 2006; Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2009; the ISCI Recognition Award in 2010; Krishi Gaurav Award in 2010; Bhumi Nirman Award in 2011; ISCI Fellow in 2017; the Plant Protection Recognition Award in 2016 by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Suresh Kotak Global Cotton Award in 2023 and the CRDA life time achievement Award in 2024. Dr. Kranthi has four patents granted in South Africa, Mexico, China, and Uzbekistan, and six patent applications in India. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed research papers, 20 books/handbooks/manuals, 17 book chapters, and more than 50 popular articles. Dr. Kranthi has presented invited talks and conducted training sessions in more than 40 countries. His research citations are in excess of 6,500. As the chief principal investigator, he coordinated and led more than 35 externally funded international collaboration research projects.
Dr. Charudatta Mayee, Ph.D is a distinguished Indian agricultural scientist and administrator with over five decades of contributions to Indian agriculture. Dr. Mayee currently serves as Adjunct Professor at IARI, New Delhi, and several ICAR institutions and universities. Dr Mayee served as Vice Chancellor of MAU Parbhani, Director of the Central Institute for Cotton Research (ICAR-CICR), Nagpur, and Agriculture Commissioner for the Government of India. Dr Mayee served as Vice President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) India. Dr. C.D. Mayee has received numerous accolades spanning five decades, recognizing his transformative contributions to agricultural science. He is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and has received lifetime achievement awards from multiple institutions. His early career was marked by the Prof. M.J. Narasimhan Academic Award (1974) and V.P. Gokhale Award (1998), followed by national honors like the Vasantrao Naik Krishi Award (2002), ICAR Outstanding Team Research Award (2003), and Dr. B. Vishwanath Award (2005). He received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Indian Society for Cotton Improvement (2008), National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (2011), and Indian Phytopathological Society (2017), among others. Four universities conferred Honorary Doctorates (D.Sc.) for his pioneering work (2009–2023). Recent distinctions include the Best Cotton Scientist Award (2022, Cotton Association of India), Krishi Maharshi for Cotton R&D (2024) and the winner of the ICAC Researcher of the Year Award 2025.
Dr. Khalid Mahmood is the Co-Founder of SAWiE, where he has been instrumental in developing digital farm advisory and farm data platforms supporting over 10,000 farmers in Pakistan, improving traceability and transparency across agricultural supply chains. He is leading the development of first-mile traceability systems and the TRUE Cotton platform, connecting farmers with sustainable global textile supply chains.
Dr Olivier Zieschank studied Management at the university of Lausanne, where he graduated in 2005. Until 2010, he worked in a Swiss-based start-up that specialized in negotiating cell tower lease agreements, where he became associate director. In 2010, he returned to university and studied applied economics in Neuchatel, Switzerland. He wrote his PhD in Economics at the University of Freiberg, Germany, where he developed a theory of organization. Mr Zieschank was appointed Economist at the ITMF in August 2017 and became director in January 2021.
Ashwin Chandran holds a Bachelors Degree in Textile Technology from UMIST, UK and a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, USA.
Mr. Shreyans Gupta is an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), currently serving as First Secretary at the Embassy of India in Washington D.C. In his current role, he oversees critical portfolios within the Income-tax Overseas Unit (ITOU) and the Commerce Wing, facilitating bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Eric Trachtenberg is the Executive Director of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).
Pia Terasa joined the textile machinery manufacturer Saurer over 25 years ago. She is responsible for marketing and communications at the group level. Coming originally from a non-textile background, market intelligence and business development have played major roles throughout her career. Her current main “hobby” is closely monitoring development of the textile recycling industry and circular economy.
Dr. Md. Fakhre Alam Ibne Tabib is the former Executive Director of the Cotton Development Board of Bangladesh, with over 32 years of experience in cotton production, research, and development. He has demonstrated strong leadership and communication skills in engaging with national and international stakeholders in the cotton sector.
Dr. Elsie Sia Kanza is the current Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United States of America and Mexico. Prior to that role, Ambassador Kanza served as Special Advisor to the President of the World Economic Forum, and, before that, Head of Africa and Member of Executive Committee for 10 years championing growth and development in Africa leveraging public private collaboration. In 2015, She was awarded a Doctorate in Business Administration (honoris causa) by the University of Strathclyde for the transformative impact achieved in Africa.
Alison Ward has over 30 years of international experience in sustainability and corporate affairs. Alison is the CEO of CottonConnect, where she leads a team of over 100 employees, impacting the lives of over 800,000 cotton farmers in India, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Bangladesh. Under Alison’s leadership the organization: drives supply chain transparency connecting sustainable fibres from farm to store; focuses on the rights and skills of women in supply chains through pioneering gender programmes; and continues to develop innovations at a farm level. She leads cotton strategies and programmes for global brands and retailers.


Name: Mary Concilia Anchang
Besim Özek
SIDDHARTHA RAJAGOPAL, Executive Director – TEXPROCIL