Brazilian cotton exports hit a record 347,800 tonnes in March 2026, generating $530 million in export revenue – a 45.4% rise on the same month in 2025 and up 28.6% on February, according to Abrapa’s April market report.
China received the largest share at 103,463 tonnes (30%), followed by Bangladesh with 56,191 tonnes (16%) and India with 41,387 tonnes (12%).
Across the first 8 months of the 2025/26 marketing year (August to March), total exports reached 2.34 million tonnes, up 9.2% year-on-year, with China, Bangladesh and Turkey together accounting for 57% of cumulative volume.
The strong export performance comes against a backdrop of tighter supply ahead.
Abrapa revised its 2026 planted area down 5% to 2.05 million hectares, cutting its production forecast 10% to 3.83 million tonnes. Average yield is estimated at 1,865 kg/ha, a 4.7% decline.
As Ecotextile News has previously reported, Brazil’s export momentum has been building on successive strong crop years, but the 2026 contraction may test that trajectory later in the marketing year.