Cotton prices slipped below 81 cents per pound after hitting a one-week high on July 23rd, as easing weather concerns tempered expectations of tighter supplies. In India, a revival of monsoon rains has accelerated cotton planting after the seasonal rains arrived three days late. Following its fifth-driest June on record, the country’s overall rainfall deficit narrowed to 16%, down from nearly 40% at the end of June, as widespread precipitation in recent weeks improved rain-fed irrigation and eased fears of a supply shortfall.
At the same time, lower oil prices have weighed on demand, eroding cotton’s price competitiveness relative to polyester fibers. Despite the recent improvement in weather, India’s cotton-sown area remains 4% lower year-on-year, at 9.87 million hectares, reflecting slower planting progress across several major producing states. In Brazil, growers are expected to reduce cotton acreage by 4% in the 2025/26 season, despite record exports in 2024/25, as weaker prices have discouraged further expansion.
