Commerce physique Cotton Affiliation of India (CAI) has raised the import projections of the fibre crop for the 2025-26 season ending September by 13 lakh bales to a brand new excessive of 60 lakh bales (of 170 kg every). That is in view of the consuming sector, benefiting from the 11 per cent responsibility exemption, making document abroad purchases. Earlier, the commerce physique projected the imports at 47 lakh bales for the 12 months.
The CAI, which launched the most recent urgent estimate on Wednesday, mentioned cotton imports throughout 2025-26 might be larger by 19 lakh bales over the earlier 12 months.
Until end-June, about 51 lakh bales are estimated to have arrived on the Indian ports, mentioned Vinay N Kotak, President, CAI, and Atul S Ganatra, Chairman, CAI Crop Committee, in a press release.
At present, the cotton imports are duty-free for the June-October interval. Ganatra mentioned one other 10-15 lakh bales of imports are anticipated by September-end. Mills are importing extra and don’t need to miss out on the 11 per cent duty-free benefit, he mentioned.
Whereas projecting larger imports, CAI lowered the export estimate for the 2025-26 season by 3 lakh bales to fifteen lakh bales from its earlier projections of 18 lakh bales. Final 12 months, cotton exports have been 18 lakh bales. Until the top of June within the present season to September 30, about 11.25 lakh bales have been shipped in. Based mostly on the arrivals, CAI has raised the urgent estimate by 3 lakh bales to 337 lakh bales of 170 kg every.
Consumption Up
Based mostly on the report of the Confederation of Indian Textile Business (CITI), CAI has elevated India’s whole cotton consumption throughout 2025-26 by 10 lakh bales to 348 lakh bale, from the sooner estimate of 338 lakh bales. Until June 30, the consumption was estimated at 261 lakh bales.
CAI estimates the full cotton provide for the 2025-26 season at 452.59 lakh bales in opposition to 393.59 lakh bales final 12 months. Complete provide for 2025-26 includes a gap inventory of 55.59 lakh bales, urgent of 337 lakh bales and imports of 60 lakh bales. The opening inventory has been lower by 5 lakh bales following the choice to reconcile inventory with a corresponding enhance in consumption for the 2024-25 season.
Printed on July 29, 2026
