US cotton export sales triple in a week as Mexico, Vietnam and Pakistan buy; ICE futures post first weekly gain in a month

US cotton export demand picked up sharply in the latest weekly report from the US Department of Agriculture, with net Upland sales for the 2026/27 marketing year reaching 230,500 running bales, more than three times the 71,200 bales of the previous week, Fibre2Fashion reported on 25 September.

Who is buying

Mexico led purchases with 69,800 bales, followed by Vietnam (51,200), Pakistan (44,500), India (33,300) and Honduras (18,800). Upland shipments rose 16% to 164,700 bales, with Vietnam, India and Pakistan the main destinations.

Pima (extra-long staple) sales fell 43% to 4,800 bales, although Pima shipments rose to 11,700 bales from 4,100.

Futures and crop

On ICE Futures US, the December 2026 contract ended the week at 82.71 cents per pound, down 60 points on Friday but up 156 points on the week, its first higher weekly close in four weeks, according to a market review by Greek ginner Thrakika. March 2027 settled at 85.49 cents.

Cumulative US export commitments stand at 4.735 million bales, 17% ahead of last year's pace but only 41% of the USDA's full-season forecast, against a typical 49% at this point. The US harvest is running 4% ahead of average. China's 2026 state reserve sales programme ends on 28–29 September after selling about 1.75 million bales, 57% of it US cotton, and traders are watching for an expected announcement on US–China trade terms.

What it means for Egyptian exporters

Stabilising upland prices help Egyptian spinners and garment makers that blend or buy imported cotton, keeping input costs predictable for autumn and winter orders. The weaker Pima demand in the same week is worth watching for Egypt's extra-long staple Giza varieties, which compete in the same premium segment. Strong buying by Vietnam, Pakistan and India also shows that Egypt's main textile competitors are stocking up on raw material now.