Archive · 29 Aug 2026
India Cotton Output Forecast at 24.5 Million Bales in 2026/27
India is expected to produce 24.5 million bales of cotton in the 2026/27 season.
The season runs from October through September.
Farmers are expected to grow cotton on 11.5 million hectares.
Dry weather could reduce how much cotton each hectare produces.
Planting is also 2% behind last year, and reservoirs are 60% full.
Indian textile mills are expected to use 26.2 million bales.
Strong clothing and textile export orders are helping drive that demand.
Because mills may need more cotton, fewer bales may be available for export.
India’s 2026/27 cotton production is forecast at 24.5 million 480-pound bales from 11.5 million hectares.
Yields are projected at 464 kilograms per hectare, 2% below the previous forecast, amid below-normal rainfall risks.
Cotton planting is 2% behind last year, while reservoir storage stands at 60% of capacity.
Domestic mill consumption is forecast at 26.2 million bales, supported by textile and apparel export orders.
Exportable cotton supplies are expected to remain limited as mills use more fiber and potentially increase duty-free imports.
- Who
- India’s cotton farmers, textile mills, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, which issued the forecast.
- What
- India’s 2026/27 cotton production is forecast at 24.5 million 480-pound bales, while domestic mill use is forecast at 26.2 million bales.
- When
- The forecast covers the October–September 2026/27 marketing year and was published on August 28, 2026.
- Where
- India, with western and central regions identified as most at risk from extended dry spells.
- Why
- Below-normal rainfall may reduce yields, while textile and apparel export orders are expected to increase domestic cotton consumption.
- Production forecast
- 24.5 million 480-pound bales in 2026/27
- Cotton area
- 11.5 million hectares
- Yield forecast
- 464 kilograms per hectare, 2% lower
- Domestic mill use
- 26.2 million 480-pound bales
- Planting progress
- 2% behind the previous year
- Reservoir storage
- 60% of capacity
- Monsoon deficit
- 12% below normal by August 12