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US Cotton Trade Statistics

American Imports and Exports of Cotton by Country

Aug 20, 2008

Cotton leaves at a US cotton farm, Bob Kimball (morguefile 147132)

China is the big winner as the USA runs up close to a US$50 billion trade deficit in the global market for raw cotton and cotton products during 2007.

The world’s leading cotton exporter, the United States, shipped US$4.6 billion worth of raw cotton to the world last year.

Over that same period, America imported $52.4 billion in processed cotton products from developing economies led by China, Turkey, Mexico, Indonesia and Pakistan. This includes $50.9 billion worth of cotton apparel and household goods plus a total of $1.5 billion in cotton cloth, fabrics, thread and cordage.

China is the leading importer of American raw cotton exports, consuming almost a third of total U.S. raw cotton shipments.

The People’s Republic is also the leading country exporting cotton products back to the U.S. market. China is now in the unique position of supplying processed cotton products to its own booming market of consumers as well as furnishing cotton goods to so-called more developed economies like the USA.

All America can do is grow more raw cotton and continue to fuel the shift in international trade leadership to Chinese manufacturers.

U.S. Raw Cotton Exports by Country

During 2007, the following top 10 importers of American cotton consumed 85.1% of U.S. total raw cotton shipments.

China … US$1.5 billion (31.9% of US exported raw cotton) – down 29.2% from 2006, up 91.5% from 2003
Turkey … $767.3 million (16.7%) – up 49.6%, up 87.1%
Mexico … $421.6 million (9.2%) – up 2.2%, down 1.7%
Indonesia … $341 million (7.4%) – up 23.6%, up 38%
Pakistan … $257.6 million (5.6%) – up 120.2%, up 44.6%
Thailand … $198.3 million (4.3%) – up 34.3%, up 27.6%
Taiwan … $140 million (3%) – down 8.5%, up 15.1%
South Korea … $122.7 million (2.7%) – up 19.2%, down 16.4%
Japan … $106.4 million (2.3%) – up 37.9%, down 6.5%
Vietnam … $88.3 million (1.9%) – up 92.4%, up 157.3%.

Biggest Sales Percentage Increases by Raw Cotton Importing Country

Overall U.S. shipments of raw cotton were up 1.7% in 2007 from the prior year, and up 35.5% since 2003. The following countries imported at least US$8 million worth of American raw cotton and grew their imports by the highest percentages.

United Arab Emirates … US$8.2 million (up 647.5% from 2006, up 319.4% from 2003)
Pakistan… $257.6 million (up 120.2%, up 44.6%)
Italy … $23.9 million (up 118.4%, down 23.2%)
Peru … $85.2 million (up 98.9%, up 81.3%)
Vietnam … $88.3 million (up 92.4%, up 157.3%)
India … $78.6 million (up 49.7%, down 47.3%)
Turkey … $767.3 million (up 49.6%, up 87.1%)
Bangladesh … $59.3 million (up 48.5%, up 0.2%)
Japan … $106.4 million (up 37.9%, down 6.5%)
Thailand … $198.3 million (up 34.3%, up 27.6%).

Top Countries Providing Cotton Clothing and Household Goods to U.S.

America imported 82.5% of the total $50.9 billion worth of cotton apparel and household goods from the top 10 countries below.

China … US$13 billion (25.6% of total US imported cotton products) – up 31.7% from 2006, up 285.7% from 2003
India … $3.7 billion (7.2%) – up 4.7%, up 88.1%
Mexico … $3 billion (5.9%) – down 13.3%, down 33.9%
Pakistan … $2.7 billion (5.3%) – up 3.5%, up 80.8%
Vietnam … $2.6 billion (5.1%) – up 36.5%, up 61.8%
Bangladesh … $2.4 billion (4.8%) – up 9.9%, up 104.7%
Indonesia … $2.3 billion (4.6%) – up 12.9%, up 132.8%
Hong Kong … $1.7 billion (3.3%) – down 21.8%, down 19.5%
Thailand … $1.1 billion (2.2%) – down 7.6%, up 7.8%
Philippines … $1.1 billion (2.2%) – down 17.8%, up 4.4%.

Top Countries Providing Cotton Cloth Supplies to U.S.

Also in 2007, America imported 82.5% of $1.5 billion worth of foreign cotton cloth supplies from the following 10 countries.

China … US$302.1 million (20.3% of total US imported cotton cloth) – up 3.4% from 2006, up 35.1% from 2003
Pakistan … $200.9 million (13.5%) – down 42.8%, down 46.2%
Italy … $184.5 million (12.4%) – up 11.8%, up 10.1%
South Korea … $132.6 million (8.9%) – up 6.7%, up 35.3%
India … $107.7 million (7.2%) – down 6.8%, up 26.7%
Japan … $84.8 million (5.7%) – down 2.6%, up 9.1%
Mexico … $72.6 million (4.9%) – down 13.2%, down 55.1%
Canada … $50 million (3.4%) – down 50.7%, down 77.4%
Thailand … $45.9 million (3.1%) – up 9.2%, down 9.5%
Turkey … $44.9 million (3%) – down 2%, down 16%.

References

This article presents independent calculations and insights based on data drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau – Foreign Trade Statistics.

The copyright of the article US Cotton Trade Statistics in Import/Export is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish US Cotton Trade Statistics in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.