India set to become the world’s biggest cotton producer by 2034: Report

India is on track to surpass China and become the world's leading cotton producer by 2034, pushed up by improvements in crop yields, says the latest OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034.

Over the next decade, India's cotton production is forecast to grow at an annual rate of approximately 2 per cent, a rise primarily attributed to increased productivity rather than an expansion of cultivated land. In comparison, global cotton production is expected to increase by 1.3 per cent annually over the same period, reaching an estimated 29.5 million tons by 2034. For the current 2024-25 season, the International Cotton Advisory Committee projects global cotton output at 25.68 million tons.

By 2034, India is anticipated to contribute a substantial 30 per cent of the total global increase in cotton output during the Outlook period. Brazil and the US follow, accounting for 27 per cent and 23 per cent of the increase, respectively.