Fashion
US Upland cotton exports down 51%, Pima rises: USDA
According to the weekly US cotton export sales report released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), net Upland cotton sales for the 2025–26 marketing year fell to 203,700 running bales (RB), each weighing 226.8 kg (500 pounds). This marked a decline of 51 per cent from the previous week and was 17 per cent below the prior four-week average.
US cotton export sales eased in the week ended January 22, 2026, after the previous week’s surge, with net Upland sales down sharply.
However, shipment volumes jumped to a marketing-year high, reflecting strong execution of existing contracts.
Lower outstanding sales versus last year indicate cautious forward buying by global mills amid price volatility and uncertain downstream demand.
Pakistan emerged as the largest buyer with net purchases of 52,000 RB, followed by Vietnam (45,600 RB) and China (38,800 RB). Additional demand came from Guatemala (18,400 RB) and unknown destinations (11,400 RB), which was partially offset by cancellations from Honduras and South Korea.
Forward sales for the 2026–27 season improved compared with the previous week, with net sales of 15,000 RB reported for Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia and Vietnam. However, this was partly offset by reductions for Turkiye.
Despite softer weekly sales, shipment activity strengthened sharply. Upland cotton exports climbed to 257,000 RB, a marketing-year high, up 37 per cent week on week and 61 per cent above the four-week average. Vietnam led shipments with 114,400 RB, followed by Turkiye (37,600 RB), Pakistan (18,300 RB), Mexico (13,700 RB) and Indonesia (12,700 RB), highlighting sustained demand from key spinning hubs.
Outstanding Upland sales stood at 3.97 million RB, still well below the 5.24 million RB recorded a year earlier. This points to thinner forward order coverage compared with last season, even as accumulated exports rose to 3.59 million RB.
The Pima cotton segment recorded a stronger performance. Net Pima sales for 2025–26 rose to a marketing-year high of 24,800 RB, up 52 per cent from the previous week, driven mainly by demand from Pakistan (12,200 RB) and India (7,500 RB). However, Pima shipments declined to 4,500 RB, down 55 per cent week on week, with exports primarily to China, Thailand, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Overall, the latest data show that while US cotton export sales cooled after the prior week’s surge, robust shipment volumes continue to support export momentum. At the same time, lower outstanding sales compared with last year suggest that global mills remain cautious about extending forward coverage amid price volatility and uncertain downstream demand.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)