China’s Cotton Imports Surge Nearly Threefold in June 2026
By jayesh chouhan 2026-07-23 13:34:31
China’s Cotton Imports Surge Nearly Threefold in June 2026
China’s cotton imports recorded an exceptional rebound in June 2026, with shipments rising almost three times compared with the same month last year. According to the General Administration of Customs, China imported around 110,000 tonnes of cotton in June, marking a 294.9% year-on-year increase. For the first half of 2026, cumulative imports reached 940,000 tonnes, up 102.2% from a year earlier.
Import values also climbed sharply. June imports were worth RMB 1.36 billion, a 244.7% increase, while January–June imports totaled RMB 10.97 billion, up 75.8% year-on-year. Brazilian and U.S. cotton remained the dominant sources of supply.
Industry participants said the strong June performance was largely expected. Part of the increase reflects a very low base in June 2025, when China imported only 27,400 tonnes, an 82.3% decline from the previous year.
However, three additional factors drove the surge. First, ICE cotton futures fell sharply twice in June, pushing imported cotton prices below those of Xinjiang cotton held in inland warehouses and making foreign supplies more attractive to Chinese mills and traders.
Second, disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict affected textile and garment production in parts of Southeast Asia, prompting some export orders for Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea to shift to China’s coastal manufacturing hubs, including Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Shandong.
Third, concerns over possible changes in U.S. Section 301 tariffs and the risk of a broader China–EU trade dispute encouraged Chinese exporters to accelerate shipments during May and June. The timing also coincided with major Western retailers building inventories for the second half of the year, supporting continued growth in China’s imports of cotton and cotton yarn.
