Bangladesh sourced more than 40% of its cotton imports from Africa in 2024–25, cementing its position as the world’s largest cotton importer as demand from its garment sector continued to rebound, according to the latest assessment by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA said Africa accounted for 41% of Bangladesh’s cotton imports during the August 2024 to July 2025 season, equivalent to more than 3.3 million bales. Total cotton imports rose 6.2% year on year to 8.05 million bales, reflecting renewed momentum in the country’s textile industry following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
With imports of 5.19 million bales, Bangladesh overtook China to become the largest global importer of cotton, narrowly ahead of Vietnam, which purchased around 100,000 fewer bales during the period. Bangladesh remains heavily reliant on overseas supply, importing about 98% of its cotton requirements due to limited domestic production of roughly 155,000 bales, despite being one of the world’s largest exporters of ready-to-wear garments.
According to the USDA, Bangladesh’s main African cotton suppliers include Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mali. In addition, Brazil accounted for around 25% of imports, while India supplied approximately 15%. Looking ahead, the agency said Vietnam could overtake Bangladesh as the world’s largest cotton importer in the 2025–26 season, with projected imports of 8.1 million bales.
The USDA noted that Bangladesh is likely to benefit from its strong exposure to the European Union, which accounts for about half of its total apparel exports and offers duty-free market access at least until 2029, subject to future policy changes. This contrasts with the 20% tariffs faced by Bangladeshi garment exports to the United States.
At the same time, plans by several West African countries to expand domestic textile and apparel manufacturing could eventually affect cotton export volumes. In Benin, for example, authorities aim to process almost all domestic cotton fibre by 2032, supported by plans to establish 28 integrated textile units in the Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone near Cotonou.
Despite these developments, the USDA expects Bangladesh to remain an attractive market for global cotton exporters. The country currently consumes around 8.5 million bales of cotton annually but has the potential to absorb up to 15 million bales, supported by an industry of around 4,500 companies employing nearly 4 million people. In 2024–25, Bangladesh exported US$39.3 billion worth of ready-to-wear garments, including knitwear, trousers, T-shirts and underwear.
