– Cotton Production refers to the total quantity of cotton lint produced from harvested cotton crops within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes.
Australia Cotton Production was 1,252 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 1.7% on 2022. The Australia Cotton Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of the country’s cotton cultivation performance and agricultural output trends between 2015 and 2023.
Australia Cotton Production moved from 421.6 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,252 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+197.1%), an average of +14.6% a year. The series high was 1,274 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 114.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2020.
The gap between the series high (2022) and low (2020) is 1,159 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +393.3% in 2021.
Among the 21 countries in this dataset, Australia ranks 5 for 2023, behind China (5,618 Thousand Tonnes) and India (5,529 Thousand Tonnes). It accounts for 5.1% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,252 | −1.7% |
| 2022Peak | 1,274 | +125% |
| 2021 | 566.1 | +393.3% |
| 2020 Trough | 114.8 | −72.3% |
| 2019 | 414.3 | −56.4% |
| 2018 | 950.4 | +22.7% |
| 2017 | 774.5 | +40.6% |
| 2016 | 550.9 | +30.7% |
| 2015 | 421.6 | — |
Regional context
Cotton Production by country, 2023, Thousand Tonnes. Australia is highlighted.
Data definition
Cotton Production — – Cotton Production refers to the total quantity of cotton lint produced from harvested cotton crops within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of cotton cultivation, agricultural productivity, and the contribution of cotton farming to the textile and agricultural sectors. It is used to assess global cotton supply, production capacity, and the availability of raw materials for textile manufacturing. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The data includes annual production of cotton lint obtained from harvested cotton plants and recorded as primary agricultural output. It covers cotton produced for textile manufacturing, yarn production, industrial processing, and export markets. The figures represent harvested cotton quantities collected from official agricultural statistics and standardized by the FAO to enable international comparison across countries and years.
The data excludes cotton fiber processing, yarn, fabrics, garments, and other finished textile products. It also excludes cottonseed production, cottonseed oil, cotton imports and exports, cultivated land area, cotton yield per hectare, and inventory changes. Post-harvest losses, informal or unrecorded cotton production not captured in official agricultural statistics, and synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and other non-cotton textile materials are also excluded from this indicator.
Cotton Production — – Cotton Production refers to the total quantity of cotton lint produced from harvested cotton crops within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of cotton cultivation, agricultural productivity, and the contribution of cotton farming to the textile and agricultural sectors. It is used to assess global cotton supply, production capacity, and the availability of raw materials for textile manufacturing. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Measured in Thousand Tonnes, the dataset serves as an important benchmark for evaluating cotton farming capacity, agricultural productivity, export potential, water resource utilization, and Australia’s contribution to the global cotton industry. Based on the validated data, Australia’s cotton production experienced considerable fluctuations throughout the study period, driven by changing agricultural conditions, production cycles, and environmental factors. Cotton output started at 421.56 thousand tonnes in 2015 and increased to 550.90 thousand tonnes in 2016. Production continued to rise significantly to 774.49 thousand tonnes in 2017 and reached 950.40 thousand tonnes in 2018, reflecting strong sector performance. However, production declined sharply to 414.34 thousand tonnes in 2019 and further decreased to 114.75 thousand tonnes in 2020, representing the lowest production level during the period. Output recovered to 566.07 thousand tonnes in 2021 and expanded significantly to 1,273.52 thousand tonnes in 2022. Production remained strong at 1,252.48 thousand tonnes in 2023, indicating a major recovery in Australia’s cotton industry. The overall trend highlights production resilience and strong capacity to recover from short-term disruptions.
The dataset provides valuable insights into Australia’s cotton production trends, agricultural efficiency, and export-oriented farming performance. It supports historical analysis, international benchmarking, market assessment, and production forecasting. Farmers, textile manufacturers, exporters, policymakers, investors, researchers, and agricultural organizations can use the dataset to evaluate production cycles, analyze supply availability, identify investment opportunities, and support sustainable agricultural planning. The data also contributes to understanding Australia’s role in global cotton supply chains and supports innovation in farming practices, productivity improvement, and long-term agricultural development.
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Definition – Cotton Production refers to the total quantity of cotton lint produced from harvested cotton crops within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of cotton cultivation, agricultural productivity, and the contribution of cotton farming to the textile and agricultural sectors. It is used to assess global cotton supply, production capacity, and the availability of raw materials for textile manufacturing. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Australia Cotton Production was 1,252 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 1.7% on 2022.
Australia Cotton Production moved from 421.6 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,252 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+197.1%), an average of +14.6% a year. The series high was 1,274 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 114.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2020.
The highest value was 1,274 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the lowest was 114.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2020.
Included: The data includes annual production of cotton lint obtained from harvested cotton plants and recorded as primary agricultural output. It covers cotton produced for textile manufacturing, yarn production, industrial processing, and export markets. The figures represent harvested cotton quantities collected from official agricultural statistics and standardized by the FAO to enable international comparison across countries and years. Excluded: The data excludes cotton fiber processing, yarn, fabrics, garments, and other finished textile products. It also excludes cottonseed production, cottonseed oil, cotton imports and exports, cultivated land area, cotton yield per hectare, and inventory changes. Post-harvest losses, informal or unrecorded cotton production not captured in official agricultural statistics, and synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and other non-cotton textile materials are also excluded from this indicator.
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?time=latest&overlay=download-data&Food=Cotton&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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