The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has released the 2025 World Cotton Trade Report, which covers trade developments in raw cotton since 1980. An annual publication, it provides analysis of world trade by region; import/export projections by country; matrices of trade flows; and seasonal estimates of export commitments to date.
Among the major trends it addresses from the 2024/25 season:
- World trade declined by 4% from the previous season to 9.4 million tonnes,
- Brazil remained the largest exporter and Bangladesh became the largest importer,
- The impact of major variables such as tariff escalations, cotton lint consumption, regulatory and market pressures, and the overall complexity of the cotton value chain.
While the global cotton and textile industry faces multiple challenges, there is reason for optimism, according to Parkhi Vats, ICAC Economic Affairs Officer and editor of the World Cotton Trade Report.
“As of October 2025, ICAC estimates that trade will increase in the 2025/26 season by 4% to 9.8 million tonnes, due to the positive expectation of improved consumption and imports from China, as well as the creation of new business relationships that are positive for cotton lint trade,” she said.
The 2025 World Cotton Trade Report is available for purchase on the ICAC website here for $250.
