India scores over US in Chinese cotton market

Indian cotton has become so popular in China now that it has started giving tough competition to the US, which currently occupies the top position, according to Liu Yongil, a Chinese commodity analyst.

"Since 2005-06, world cotton market data has shown that Indian cotton has become the best-seller in global markets, particularly in Chinese market", said Yongil.

"In China, import volume of Indian cotton is next to US, which means India has become China's second largest country for cotton import," he said in a paper titled 'Analysis on competitive strength of Indian cotton in China.'

The paper, published by East India Cotton Association on Monday in its official journal, Cotton Statistics and News, said, "As per China customs department statistics, from September 2005 to August 2006, China imported 524,600 tonne Indian cotton."

"This accounted for 12.7 per cent of China's total cotton import during that period, displacing Uzbekistan to become China's second biggest country for cotton import."

During September-December, China imported 133,800 tonne Indian cotton, a growth of 107 per cent over the corresponding period a year ago.

"With rising Indian cotton imports, more and more Chinese cotton dealers and textile mills have started to focus on India."