Upland, Pima cotton export decline sharply: USDA

US cotton export sales weakened further in the week ended June 25, 2026, as Upland cotton bookings fell to their lowest level in several weeks and export shipments also declined. Pima cotton sales dropped to a marketing-year low, although export shipments surged to a marketing-year high, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) weekly export sales report.Net sales of Upland cotton for the 2025-26 marketing year totalled 49,000 RB (running bales, each weighing 226.8 kg), down 42 per cent from the previous week and 70 per cent below the prior four-week average. Vietnam remained the largest buyer with purchases of 23,200 RB, followed by India with 7,400 RB, Pakistan with 5,900 RB, China with 5,500 RB and Mexico with 2,600 RB. These gains were partly offset by reductions for South Korea, Indonesia and Nicaragua.

US cotton export sales weakened in the week ended June 25, with Upland bookings falling 42 per cent week on week and Pima sales dropping to a marketing-year low, USDA data showed.
Upland shipments also declined, while Pima exports climbed to a seasonal high. Vietnam, India and Pakistan remained the leading destinations for US cotton exports.

New-crop Upland cotton export sales for the 2026-27 marketing year totalled 44,100 RB, led by Honduras with 11,300 RB, followed by Guatemala with 9,300 RB, Türkiye with 6,800 RB, Mexico with 5,200 RB and Peru with 4,100 RB.

Upland export shipments fell to 218,800 RB, down 27 per cent from the previous week and 22 per cent below the prior four-week average. Vietnam remained the leading destination with shipments of 57,300 RB, followed by Türkiye with 49,800 RB, Pakistan with 31,600 RB, Bangladesh with 14,000 RB and Mexico with 12,000 RB.

Pima cotton demand weakened sharply during the week. Net sales for the 2025-26 marketing year totalled just 700 RB, a marketing-year low, down 84 per cent from the previous week and 88 per cent below the prior four-week average. India, Bangladesh and South Korea each booked 200 RB, while Bahrain and Thailand purchased 100 RB each. New-crop Pima cotton sales for the 2026-27 marketing year reached 3,900 RB, driven by India with 2,300 RB and Pakistan with 1,700 RB, partially offset by a reduction for Egypt.

In contrast to weak sales, Pima export shipments climbed to 24,400 RB, a marketing-year high, rising sharply from the previous week and 56 per cent above the prior four-week average. India remained the largest destination with shipments of 12,400 RB, followed by Vietnam with 5,300 RB, China and Djibouti with 1,300 RB each, and Egypt with 1,000 RB.

The latest USDA data showed US cotton export demand softened further, with both current-crop Upland and Pima sales declining significantly. While Upland shipments also weakened after the previous week’s rebound, Pima exports surged to a seasonal high, reflecting strong shipment activity despite subdued buying. Vietnam, India and Pakistan remained the key destinations for US cotton exports.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)