Cotton Imports Likely to Rise to 39 Lakh Bales

18-Aug-2025 12:08 PM

Mumbai. Due to weak domestic production, cotton imports in India are expected to jump to 39 lakh bales during the current marketing season (October-September) of 2024-25, which is more than double the gross imports of 15.20 lakh bales (each bale of 170 kg) of the 2023-24 season.

According to a leading trade body - Cotton Association of India, imports are increasing due to the prices being somewhat low in the international market and the rapid increase in demand for unadulterated cotton in the mills.

The President of the Association says that the domestic price of cotton is running 10-12 percent higher than the global market price, so Indian millers are importing it in large quantities from abroad.

Cotton imports in the country are crossing the limit of 39 lakh bales and reaching close to 40 lakh bales. Earlier, in the marketing season of 2022-23, cotton imports had reached 31 lakh bales when the domestic market price of cotton jumped to the highest level of Rs 1 lakh per candy (356 kg).

According to the chairman, Indian companies have also started contracting cotton imports for delivery in the next marketing season.

The new marketing season is going to start in October 2025. The international market price of cotton is still low. In the last 10 days only, about 1.50 lakh bales of cotton have been contracted for import, which will be supplied during October-September 2025.

At present, the export offer price of Brazilian cotton is Rs 51,000 per candy, which also includes the cost of reaching any port in India - Tuticorin, Mundra and Nhava Sheva etc.

An import duty of 11 percent is applicable on cotton, including which the cost of imported goods is coming to Rs 56000 per candy.

But companies that export directly have to pay only 4.4 percent customs duty, so importing from outside is cheaper for them. By the end of July, 33 lakh bales of cotton had been imported into the country.