Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics show that the total cotton output in 2024 is 6.164 million tons, an increase of 546,000 tons over 2023, an increase of 9.7%. Among them, Xinjiang cotton output of 5.686 million tons, an increase of 574,000 tons over 2023, an increase of 11.23 percent, accounting for 92.25 percent of the national output.

“The increase in cotton production in 2024 can be achieved, on the one hand, because the cotton price subsidy policy in Xinjiang can protect the interests of cotton farmers and increase the planting area.” Cheng Sujing, head of cotton at Zhejiang Huarui Information Co., LTD., said: “There are also good weather factors.”

“The brand value of Xinjiang cotton is still improving.” The relevant person in charge of a cotton processing enterprise in Xinjiang said: “A series of policy guarantee systems represented by cotton price and quality subsidies, fair inspection system and quality traceability have effectively promoted the quality improvement of cotton in Xinjiang.”

According to the Xinjiang Survey Team of the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2024, Xinjiang will continue to guide cotton production to further concentrate in advantageous producing areas, and the cotton planting area and output of local and XPCC will account for more than 95% of the region. Cotton planting area reached 36.719 million mu, an increase of 1.179 million mu over 2023, an increase of 3.3 percent.

In addition, Xinjiang further clarified 24 cotton leading varieties and ten main pushing technologies, and at the same time established a dynamic adjustment mechanism, it also provided a key path for cotton yield improvement through the implementation of improved varieties and improved laws. In 2024, the per unit yield of cotton reached 154.9 kg/mu, an increase of 7.6% over 2023.

According to the 2025 Xinjiang Government work report, Xinjiang has made every effort to promote the development of the whole industrial chain of cotton and textile and garment, with an output value of more than 220 billion yuan, the added value of the textile industry above designated size increased by 24.8%, and created 1 million jobs.

In recent years, Xinjiang’s textile industry chain has been continuously improved, cotton conversion rate has gradually increased, spinning and weaving production capacity has expanded rapidly, and cost advantages are obvious. More than 90% of China’s cotton in Xinjiang, raw material advantages make Xinjiang has the conditions to vigorously develop the cotton industry chain.

At the same time, Xinjiang also relies on raw material advantages, energy advantages, location advantages and industrial policy support, since the “14th Five-Year Plan” cotton textile production capacity has increased significantly. The cotton textile industry chain is moving west to the advantageous areas of raw materials and the value depression, which can bring real benefits to enterprises and help enhance market competitiveness.

It can be said that no matter the output or quality, the importance of Xinjiang cotton is beyond doubt, and Xinjiang cotton provides an important guarantee for the steady development of China’s cotton textile industry.

Industry insiders believe that in the complex international situation and external environment in 2024, it is not easy for China’s textile and garment exports to achieve stable growth, fully reflecting the tenacity and firm of China’s textile and garment industry chain and supply chain.

“In 2025, the government will increase the investment of” two new “funds and promote consumption policies, and domestic demand will become the main growth point of the economy in 2025.” The relevant person in charge of a cotton processing enterprise in Xinjiang believes that the textile and garment industry, as a major consumer product, will also benefit.

An industry insider who does cotton yarn and raw material trade said: “The boss of the cotton factory I know said that the factory was ready for a holiday after the New Year’s Day. As the market orders continued to increase, the yarn factory holiday time was delayed, to the twelfth month of the 26th holiday, than the original expected holiday time delayed nearly a month.” According to him, the start time of many cotton mills after the festival is also earlier than the original, and some enterprises do not have a holiday this Spring Festival.

Although the international situation in 2025 is still complex, the textile and garment industry with a sound industrial chain layout and innovation, I believe that we can still expect to achieve good results. Cheng Sujing is very confident about the downstream of the cotton industry chain in 2025. “In 2024, domestic sales are weak, and the country frequently stabilizes the economy and promotes consumption policies, which I believe will have a certain effect in 2025, and the probability of increasing domestic sales is large.” In terms of exports, trade policy is still the key to affecting exports, with the decline of clothing and fabric inventories of overseas wholesalers, the future demand is still a strong support for exports.”