This report provides comprehensive analyses and forecasts of cotton fibre prices, production and consumption, and it equips strategic planners with information which enables them to predict the extent to which future changes in the cotton fibre price are likely to affect their businesses. In addition, it contains a detailed analysis of trends in cotton fibre prices and regional patterns of cotton fibre supply and demand for the 2019/20 season (August 1, 2019-July 31, 2020), and it provides an outlook for the 2020/21 season.

Demand for cotton fibre is set to fall in the 2019/20 season, reflecting a slowdown in global economic growth and disruption to supply chains resulting from social and economic measures taken by governments around the world to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, production of cotton fibre is set to rise with the result that the amount of cotton fibre produced will be greater than the amount consumed, stock levels will rise, and the cotton price will remain under downward pressure.

Looking ahead to the 2020/21 season, global cotton fibre consumption is expected to rise as Chinese demand revives, and this increase is predicted to coincide with a decline in the cotton crop. Nevertheless, the amount of cotton fibre produced will still be greater than the amount consumed. Consequently, there is likely to be an increase in stocks and the cotton price will remain under downward pressure.