The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cotton projections for 2020/21 (August-July) indicate that global cotton mill use is forecast to rebound after a 15% reduction in 2019/20 that was associated with the global economic slowdown.
World cotton consumption is projected at 114.3 million bales in 2020/21, rising 11.7% from 2019/20’s 102.4 million bales, the lowest in 16 years. Mill use is forecast to increase for each of the leading raw cotton spinners in 2020/21, with China and India accounting for a combined 52% of the world total.
Cotton mill use in China is projected at 37.0 million bales in 2020/21, 4 million bales (12%) above 2019/20, but 2.5 million below 2018/19. Mill use in India is forecast at 23.0 million bales, 3 million bales (15%) over 2019/20, but 1 million under 2018/19. For Pakistan, cotton mill use is expected to reach 10.3 million bales in 2020/21, 1.3 million bales (14%) higher than in 2019/20, but still 400,000 bales lower than in 2018/19.
As for the other major spinners (Bangladesh, Turkey and Vietnam), cotton mill use is projected to increase a combined 2 million bales in 2020/21, reaching 7.0 million bales, 6.9 million bales and 6.8 million bales, respectively.
