China's cotton linter imports show impressive growth in Jan-Feb

In the first two months of 2025, China's cotton linter import market has been impressive, with import volume increasing by nearly 60%. In Feb alone, it has been doubled compared with last year, reaching new highs in the past three years. Notably, imports from India and Turkey surged, with Xinjiang and Shandong experiencing a dramatic increase in import volume.

Previously, as the price of Chinese cotton linter steadily rose, cotton linter pulp and refined cotton companies turned their focus to the imported cotton linter market, leading to a jump in cotton linter imports this year. According to customs data, cotton linter import of China in Feb was 14,622.4 tons, reflecting a month-on-month increase of 163.6% and a year-on-year increase of 107.6%, marking the highest single-month import volume since Jun 2022. The cumulative import of Jan-Feb was 20,169.04 tons, up 57.4% year-on-year.

From the perspective of origins, the import from India were the standout performer in Jan, amounting to 2,382.5 tons, accounting for 43% of total imports. In Feb, the imports from Turkey surged to 4,566.5 tons, a year-on-year increase of 1,422%, occupying 31.2% of the total. India and Brazil ranked second and third respectively, together making up nearly 81% of total imports.

According to the cumulative data, India led with an import volume of 6,744.4 tons in Jan-Feb, accounting for 33.4%. Turkey and Brazil ranked second and third, with the three countries combined occupying nearly 77%. Additionally, there was a significant increase in imports from Turkmenistan and Tanzania.

In terms of destinations, Jiangsu led in Jan with imports of 2,491.7 tons, a year-on-year increase of 26.7%, taking up 26.1% of total imports. In Feb, Shandong significantly outperformed with imports of 5,583.5 tons, a year-on-year increase of 87.6%, comprising nearly 75%. In Jan-Feb, Shandong imported 6,502.1 tons, accounting for 32%, while Jiangsu ranked second at 21.8%. Notably, Xinjiang, as a distribution center for Chinese cotton linter, also saw a dramatic increase in imports, with 1,389.4 tons imported in Jan-Feb, a year-on-year increase of 1,116.4%, accounting for 6.9%.

In summary, due to the continuous rise in Chinese cotton linter prices and the widening price gap between Chinese and imported cotton linter, the demand for imported linters from downstream companies has surged. The import volume in Feb alone doubled year-on-year, with the cumulative volume of Jan-Feb increasing by nearly 60%. Among them, India, Turkey, and Brazil are the main sources of imported linters, collectively occupying around 80% of both monthly and cumulative imports. Shandong, Jiangsu, and Anhui are the main contributors to imported linters, while Xinjiang, as a hub for Chinese cotton linter, saw an increase in import volume more than elevenfold year-on-year in the first two months of 2025.