Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam imported 766,000 tonnes of cotton worth 1.53 billion USD in the first half of this year, representing a rise of 21.6% in volume and 9% in value over the same period last year, according to updates from the General Statistics Office.
Import prices averaged 1,995.5 USD per tonne during the reviewed period.
Vietnam mainly imports cotton from 11 markets, including Brazil (with a value of 443 million USD, up 111%), the US (400 million USD, down 18%), Australia (196 million USD, down 23%) and India (85 million USD, up 116%).
Cotton imports from Pakistan saw the strongest increase by 3,380% to 5,186 tonnes in the first five months of this year, with revenues increasing from 0.2 million USD to 9.1 million USD in the period.
Meanwhile, imports from the Republic of Korea dropped by 72% to 324 tonnes.
Cotton imported from China had the highest average price of 3,832.3 USD per tonne, followed by the Republic of Korea with 2,179 USD per tonne, the US, 2,098 USD per tonne and Australia, 2,092 USD per tonne.
Cotton imported from Indonesia had the lowest price at 1,360 USD per tonne.
Vietnam is the third largest cotton importer in the world with an import volume of around 1.5 million tonnes per year, serving mainly its textile industry. Vietnam is the sixth largest textile and the third largest garment producer in the world, after China and Bangladesh.
According to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, domestic cotton production meets only 1% of the demand for the sector, fibre 30% and fabric 20%.
The International Cotton Advisory Committee forecasts that the global cotton prices will be on upward trend over 2024, due to recovering demand and drops in output./.
