India's 2026-27 cotton imports may top last year's peak
In short
India's cotton imports for 2026-27 are expected to match or pass last year’s 71 lakh bales of 170 kg each. Trade sources say crop worries and a duty break until the end of December are behind the outlook.
This could mean more cotton coming into the country, which may affect local growers and buyers. But the final import number is not known yet.
What the reporting says
India’s 2026-27 cotton imports are expected to equal or surpass last year’s 71 lakh bales of 170 kg each, according to trade sources in a publisher-supplied summary. The report links the outlook to crop concerns and the Centre’s extension of the duty exemption on cotton imports until the end of December. The immediate consequence could be heavier import demand, but the final volume and timing are still not stated.
Why it matters
India’s 2026-27 cotton imports are projected by trade sources to equal or exceed last year’s 71 lakh bales of 170 kg each, with the Centre extending the duty exemption on imports until December-end. The reporting points to crop concerns as a driver. This may support textile supply and import demand, but the final import total and the extent of any crop shortfall remain unconfirmed.