Uzbekistan ranks fifth in cotton fiber production with 1.4M tons

Photo: The Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. Uzbekistan ranked fifth among six major cotton-producing countries, with an estimated 1.4 million tons of cotton fiber derived from its 2025 raw cotton harvest.

The figures were reported by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture.

The ministry compared Uzbekistan’s 2025 production results with international figures for the 2025/26 cotton season, expressing output in terms of cotton fiber to facilitate comparison.

China ranked first, with 7.79 million tons of cotton fiber, followed by India with 5.18 million tons and Brazil with 4.08 million tons. The United States ranked fourth, with 3.03 million tons, while Uzbekistan placed fifth, ahead of Pakistan, which recorded 1.15 million tons.

According to the ministry, Uzbekistan harvested 3.986 million tons of raw cotton in 2025 from 875,600 hectares. Applying a fiber yield rate of 35% to the harvest gives an estimated 1.395 million tons of cotton fiber, rounded to 1.4 million tons.

According to Trend’s calculations, Uzbekistan’s average raw cotton yield reached approximately 4.55 tons per hectare in 2025, while its estimated cotton fiber yield stood at around 1.59 tons per hectare.

Uzbekistan’s estimated cotton fiber output exceeded Pakistan’s reported volume by approximately 245,000 tons, or 21.3%, but remained about 54% below the US figure.

The comparison should be interpreted with regard to the different reporting periods: Uzbekistan’s figures cover the 2025 calendar year, while the international figures refer to the 2025/26 cotton season.

The ministry attributed Uzbekistan’s progress in cotton production to the adoption of high-yielding varieties, modern agricultural technologies, improved farming practices and efforts by farmers to increase productivity.

The country’s priorities extend beyond increasing raw cotton output. According to the ministry, key objectives include raising yields per hectare, improving fiber quality, increasing processing efficiency and strengthening the value chain from cotton cultivation to finished products.

Expanding value-added processing is particularly important because cotton fiber serves as a raw material for yarn, fabrics, garments and other textile products. Developing these production stages can increase the domestic value generated from each ton of harvested cotton.

The ministry’s comparison therefore highlights Uzbekistan’s position among the leading cotton fiber producers included in the ranking, as well as its focus on improving agricultural productivity and developing a more integrated cotton and textile industry.