– 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.
Global Cotton Production was 24,702 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 1.7% on 2022. Global Cotton Production was 24,702 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 1.7% on 2022. Global Cotton Production moved from 22,288 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 24,702 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+10.8%), an average of +1.3% a year.
Global Cotton Production moved from 22,288 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 24,702 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+10.8%), an average of +1.3% a year. The series high was 25,389 Thousand Tonnes in 2018 and the low 22,288 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
The gap between the series high (2018) and low (2015) is 3,101 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +8.5% in 2017.
Of the 21 countries in this dataset, China, India and Brazil have the highest values in 2023 (5,618, 5,529, 2,924 Thousand Tonnes respectively).
Country ranking
Thousand Tonnes. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Thousand Tonnes↕ | vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 5,618 | −6.1% | |
| 2 | India | 5,529 | −3.4% | |
| 3 | Brazil | 2,924 | +18.3% | |
| 4 | U.S. | 2,627 | −16.6% | |
| 5 | Australia | 1,252 | −1.7% | |
| 6 | Turkey | 777 | −23.6% | |
| 7 | Argentina | 295 | −24.6% | |
| 8 | Mexico | 190 | −44.8% | |
| 9 | Cameroon | 178.5 | +26% | |
| 10 | Myanmar | 153.2 | 0% | |
| 11 | Nigeria | 99.20 | −4.6% | |
| 12 | Egypt | 77.53 | −13.9% | |
| 13 | Spain | 40.50 | −0.1% | |
| 14 | Bangladesh | 21.10 | −5.4% | |
| 15 | South Africa | 16.04 | +14.7% | |
| 16 | Israel | 14.04 | −19.8% | |
| 17 | Colombia | 11.92 | −9.3% | |
| 18 | Thailand | 1.51 | 0% | |
| 19 | Indonesia | 0.0407 | +14.1% | |
| 20 | Philippines | 0.0250 | −24.9% | |
| 21 | Vietnam | 0.00692 | −38.7% |
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 | 24,702 | −1.7% |
| 2022 | 25,128 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 25,107 | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 24,356 | −3.2% |
| 2019 | 25,162 | −0.9% |
| 2018Peak | 25,389 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 25,220 | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 23,247 | +4.3% |
| 2015 Trough | 22,288 | — |
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).
The series high was 25,389 Thousand Tonnes in 2018 and the low 22,288 Thousand Tonnes in 2015. The gap between the series high (2018) and low (2015) is 3,101 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +8.5% in 2017. Of the 21 countries in this dataset, China, India and Brazil have the highest values in 2023 (5,618, 5,529, 2,924 Thousand Tonnes respectively).
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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).
Global Cotton Production was 24,702 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 1.7% on 2022.
Global Cotton Production moved from 22,288 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 24,702 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+10.8%), an average of +1.3% a year. The series high was 25,389 Thousand Tonnes in 2018 and the low 22,288 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
The highest value was 25,389 Thousand Tonnes in 2018 and the lowest was 22,288 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
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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