Cotton Carry-Forward Stock May Cross 85 Lakh Bales
2026-06-13 12:23:30
India's Cotton Carry-Forward Stock Projected to Exceed 85 Lakh Bales in 2026-27 Due to Rising Imports
The impact of the government's recent import duty waiver—aimed at providing the textile industry with higher-quality cotton—is becoming clearly visible in the cotton market. Industry experts estimate that India's total cotton imports for the 2025-26 season could reach 60–65 lakh bales (170 kg per bale). Consequently, the country's carry-forward stock for the 2026-27 season, commencing in October 2026, is likely to rise by approximately 42 percent to exceed 85 lakh bales.
According to the Cotton Association of India (CAI), 43.5 lakh bales of cotton had been imported into the country by the end of May 2026; this represents an increase of nearly 32 percent compared to the 33 lakh bales imported during the same period the previous year. Previously, the CAI had projected total season imports at 47 lakh bales, but the duty waiver has created the possibility of a significant increase in this figure.
Atul S. Ganatra, Chairman of the CAI's Crop Committee, stated that 43.5 lakh bales of cotton had arrived at Indian ports by the end of May. He believes that the recent policy change could lead to an additional 15 lakh bales of imports, pushing the total import volume to the 60–65 lakh bale range.
The CAI has maintained its cotton production estimate for 2025-26 at 334 lakh bales. Meanwhile, the closing stock at the end of the season is projected to be 85.59 lakh bales—an increase of approximately 25 lakh bales over the previous year's figure of 60 lakh bales. According to experts, textile mills are prioritizing imported cotton—despite prices being roughly on par with domestic cotton—because it yields about 4 percent more yarn, and the finished yarn fetches a premium of approximately ₹7 per kilogram in the market. This is why the demand for imported cotton remains consistently strong.
