Fashion
US Upland, Pima cotton export sales weaken: USDA
Net sales of Upland cotton for the 2025–26 marketing year declined to 123,300 RB (running bales each weighing 226.8 kg), down 24 per cent from the previous week and 35 per cent below the prior four-week average. The slowdown followed the previous week’s strong rebound, when sales had climbed to 162,900 RB.
US cotton export sales weakened in the week ended April 30, with both Upland and Pima cotton posting lower demand and shipments, according to USDA.
Upland sales fell 24 per cent week on week to 123,300 RB, while Pima sales declined 47 per cent to 11,500 RB. Asian markets, led by Pakistan, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, continued to dominate US cotton buying activity.
Pakistan emerged as the largest buyer during the latest reporting week with purchases of 38,800 RB, followed by India (27,200 RB), Vietnam (18,800 RB), Indonesia (14,400 RB), and Bangladesh (9,100 RB). Reduced demand from South Korea partly offset the gains. The data also showed active switching activity between Asian buyers, including volumes redirected from Vietnam and South Korea.
New crop Upland sales for the 2026–27 marketing year totalled 48,400 RB, led by Guatemala (35,200 RB) and Indonesia (19,000 RB), while reductions for Vietnam limited overall growth. This was lower than the previous week’s 105,700 RB, which had been driven by strong buying from Turkiye, China, and Guatemala.
Export shipments of Upland cotton also softened. Weekly exports fell to 327,500 RB, down 15 per cent from the previous week and 1 per cent below the prior four-week average. Vietnam remained the top destination with 135,000 RB, followed by Bangladesh (29,600 RB), Pakistan (29,100 RB), Turkiye (27,700 RB), and China (20,400 RB).
Pima cotton exports also lost momentum during the week. Net sales for the 2025–26 marketing year declined to 11,500 RB, down 47 per cent from the previous week and 35 per cent below the four-week average. India continued to dominate buying activity with purchases of 6,700 RB, followed by Egypt (1,800 RB), Italy (800 RB), Thailand (600 RB), and Pakistan (600 RB). New crop Pima sales for 2026–27 were limited to 1,300 RB, all destined for Egypt, compared to 11,500 RB in the previous week.
Pima export shipments totalled 14,800 RB, down 17 per cent week on week, although still 52 per cent above the four-week average. Vietnam remained the leading destination with 8,400 RB, followed by India (2,700 RB), China (2,200 RB), Bangladesh (500 RB), and Colombia (400 RB).
Overall, the latest USDA data indicate that US cotton export demand moderated after the previous week’s recovery, with Asian markets continuing to dominate buying activity. Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Turkiye remained the key drivers of Upland exports, while India retained its position as the leading buyer of US Pima cotton.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)