Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter, according to ComexStat data compiled by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa).Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tons of the fibre, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record export revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.The increase represents approximately 538,500 additional tons of Brazilian cotton sold abroad and export revenues were 9% above the 2024/25 result. The result is the consequence of a transformation built over several years, driven by increased production and advances in different attributes of Brazilian cotton. “Brazil has expanded its production and gained scale, while also making progress in quality, traceability and sustainability,” said Danyella Bonfim, market intelligence and analysis coordinator at Abrapa. “This combination has strengthened the competitiveness of Brazilian cotton and, above all, the confidence of international buyers in the country’s ability to supply the market on a regular and consistent basis.” The performance kept Brazil at the top of the global cotton export rankings. According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) presented in Abrapa’s August report, the United States ranked second in 2025/26, with 2.656 million tons, followed by Australia, with 1.241 million tons. Brazil exported approximately 718,000 tons more than the United States, its main competitor in the international market. China was the main destination for Brazilian cotton during the commercial year, importing 770,500 tons – equivalent to approximately 23% of Brazil’s total exports during the period. Compared with 2024/25, shipments to the Chinese market increased by 309,200 tons, largely boosted by trade disputes between China and the United States. “US cotton, our main competitor in this quality range, still faces an additional tariff in the Chinese market, which reduces its competitiveness,” noted Bonfim. “As a result, Brazilian cotton is gaining ground by offering a good combination of quality, available supply and price.”Bangladesh also played an important role in the result, with purchases increasing by 173,200 tons. In this market, the increase is explained by the expansion of the textile industry and the growing need to replace hand-picked cotton with fibre produced through mechanised systems – a segment in which Brazil offers scale, quality and competitiveness. Not all major destinations, however, increased their imports. Vietnam and Pakistan recorded the largest declines, with reductions of 137,400 and 79,200 tons respectively. India has meanwhile increased its imports of Brazilian cotton more than 40-fold in just two years. Although it is one of the world’s largest cotton producers, the country also has a large-scale textile industry and needs to turn to international markets when domestic production is insufficient to meet demand. In 2025, the temporary suspension of India’s 11% tariff on cotton imports helped increase foreign purchases. Brazil was able to take advantage of this movement thanks to the availability of product, competitive prices and logistical capacity. “The increase was not driven solely by a market circumstance,” said Bonfim. “It was also the result of efforts to build closer ties with the Indian textile industry over recent years. When the need to import more emerged, Brazilian cotton was already known and had a presence among buyers. It is important to remember that this more-than-40-fold growth started from a small base. Even so, the speed of the expansion is remarkable and shows India’s potential to become increasingly relevant.” For 2026/27, Abrapa estimates Brazilian production at approximately 3.9 million tons and exports at 3.1 million tons. The expected decline in shipments is mainly related to projections for a smaller crop, with reduced cotton availability for the international market.The next step will be to transform leadership in volume into an increasingly diversified and lasting presence in consumer markets.“The challenge now is not simply to export more, but to increase market share, diversify destinations and consolidate long-term commercial relationships,” Bonfim concluded.