Vietnam's cotton imports are projected to grow 10% in 2026/27, reaching 8.4 million bales. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)The increase reflects strong demand from the local textile industry, especially in the cotton yarn segment. If confirmed, the new season will mark the highest import volume in the recent series for the Asian country. According to the USDA, the main force behind the expansion in imports is the increased Chinese demand for yarn produced in Vietnam. Vietnamese cotton yarn exports grew 8% in volume in 2025, to 1.05 million tons, with shipments destined for China advancing 10%, to 881,000 tons. In the first two months of 2026, total yarn exports had already accumulated a 23% increase year-on-year, indicating a continuation of the strong pace of demand. Domestic cotton consumption in Vietnam is projected at 8.0 million bales in 2026/27, up from the 7.8 million estimated for 2025/26. Despite the growth of the textile industry, Vietnam continues to have virtually no significant domestic cotton production. According to the report, local production represents less than 1% of total demand, keeping the country structurally dependent on imports to supply its industrial base. The country currently has 121 cotton spinning mills in operation, totaling a capacity of 10.4 million spindle equivalents, with a strong concentration in the southern region of the country. The United States is expected to remain the main supplier of cotton to Vietnam in 2025/26. US shipments to the Asian country grew by 75% between August 2025 and February 2026, reaching 1.7 million bales. With this, the USDA It is estimated that the US will ship 3.2 million bales to Vietnam in 2025/26. Conversely, Brazil lost market share in Vietnam this season. Brazilian cotton exports to Vietnam fell 44%, to 950,000 bales, between August 2025 and February 2026. According to… USDAThe decline occurred because Brazilian exporters directed a larger volume of fiber to China. As a result, Brazil's share of Vietnamese imports fell from 42% to 24% when comparing the last two partial cycles analyzed. USDA.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.