Rising imports underline the country’s dependence on fibre inflows—and its vulnerability to energy and demand shocks.
Bangladesh has overtaken all rivals to become the world’s largest cotton importer, underscoring both the scale of its textile industry and the structural limits of domestic fibre production. According to new data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Bangladesh imported 8.05 million bales of cotton in marketing year (MY) 2024–25, a 5.2% increase over the previous year.
The surge reflects the continued recovery of Bangladesh’s textile sector after the pandemic slowdown. Despite political upheaval during the year, cotton inflows remained steady, highlighting the sector’s resilience and the priority given to raw material security by spinners.
A notable shift is the rise of Brazil as Bangladesh’s largest single cotton supplier. Brazilian shipments reached 1.9 million bales—around a quarter of total imports—overtaking India, whose exports fell to 1.4 million bales. West Africa remains the dominant sourcing region overall, with Benin and Cameroon together supplying more than one-fifth of imports, while the US and Australia each accounted for about 7%.
Brazil’s growing appeal lies in price competitiveness and supply reliability. A production boom has kept Brazilian cotton cheaper than Indian and West African alternatives, even after accounting for longer shipping distances. Strategic outreach by Brazilian producers and diplomats has further cemented commercial ties.
Bangladesh’s domestic cotton use stood at 8.1 million bales in MY25, with imports forecast to rise to 8.4 million bales in MY26 as spinning capacity expands. Yet the outlook is not unambiguously bullish. Textile millers warn that energy shortages and softer global demand could curb imports in the coming months.
Domestic cotton production remains negligible—just 155,000 bales—constrained by manual farming methods and limited acreage. For now, Bangladesh’s textile dominance rests squarely on its ability to secure foreign fibre at competitive prices.
Rising imports underline the country’s dependence on fibre inflows—and its vulnerability to energy and demand shocks.
Bangladesh has overtaken all rivals to become the world’s largest cotton importer, underscoring both the scale of its textile industry and the structural limits of domestic fibre production. According to new data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Bangladesh imported 8.05 million bales of cotton in marketing year (MY) 2024–25, a 5.2% increase over the previous year.
The surge reflects the continued recovery of Bangladesh’s textile sector after the pandemic slowdown. Despite political upheaval during the year, cotton inflows remained steady, highlighting the sector’s resilience and the priority given to raw material security by spinners.
A notable shift is the rise of Brazil as Bangladesh’s largest single cotton supplier. Brazilian shipments reached 1.9 million bales—around a quarter of total imports—overtaking India, whose exports fell to 1.4 million bales. West Africa remains the dominant sourcing region overall, with Benin and Cameroon together supplying more than one-fifth of imports, while the US and Australia each accounted for about 7%.
Brazil’s growing appeal lies in price competitiveness and supply reliability. A production boom has kept Brazilian cotton cheaper than Indian and West African alternatives, even after accounting for longer shipping distances. Strategic outreach by Brazilian producers and diplomats has further cemented commercial ties.
Bangladesh’s domestic cotton use stood at 8.1 million bales in MY25, with imports forecast to rise to 8.4 million bales in MY26 as spinning capacity expands. Yet the outlook is not unambiguously bullish. Textile millers warn that energy shortages and softer global demand could curb imports in the coming months.
Domestic cotton production remains negligible—just 155,000 bales—constrained by manual farming methods and limited acreage. For now, Bangladesh’s textile dominance rests squarely on its ability to secure foreign fibre at competitive prices.
