BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. Uzbekistan ranked
fifth among six major cotton-producing countries, with an estimated
1.4 million tons of cotton fiber derived from its 2025 raw cotton
harvest.


The figures were reported by Uzbekistan’s Ministry of
Agriculture.


The ministry compared Uzbekistan’s 2025 production results with
international figures for the 2025/26 cotton season, expressing
output in terms of cotton fiber to facilitate comparison.


China ranked first, with 7.79 million tons of cotton fiber,
followed by India with 5.18 million tons and Brazil with 4.08
million tons. The United States ranked fourth, with 3.03 million
tons, while Uzbekistan placed fifth, ahead of Pakistan, which
recorded 1.15 million tons.


According to the ministry, Uzbekistan harvested 3.986 million
tons of raw cotton in 2025 from 875,600 hectares. Applying a fiber
yield rate of 35% to the harvest gives an estimated 1.395 million
tons of cotton fiber, rounded to 1.4 million tons.


According to Trend’s calculations, Uzbekistan’s average raw cotton
yield reached approximately 4.55 tons per hectare in 2025, while
its estimated cotton fiber yield stood at around 1.59 tons per
hectare.


Uzbekistan’s estimated cotton fiber output exceeded Pakistan’s
reported volume by approximately 245,000 tons, or 21.3%, but
remained about 54% below the US figure.







The comparison should be interpreted with regard to the
different reporting periods: Uzbekistan’s figures cover the 2025
calendar year, while the international figures refer to the 2025/26
cotton season.


The ministry attributed Uzbekistan’s progress in cotton
production to the adoption of high-yielding varieties, modern
agricultural technologies, improved farming practices and efforts
by farmers to increase productivity.


The country’s priorities extend beyond increasing raw cotton
output. According to the ministry, key objectives include raising
yields per hectare, improving fiber quality, increasing processing
efficiency and strengthening the value chain from cotton
cultivation to finished products.


Expanding value-added processing is particularly important
because cotton fiber serves as a raw material for yarn, fabrics,
garments and other textile products. Developing these production
stages can increase the domestic value generated from each ton of
harvested cotton.


The ministry’s comparison therefore highlights Uzbekistan’s
position among the leading cotton fiber producers included in the
ranking, as well as its focus on improving agricultural
productivity and developing a more integrated cotton and textile
industry.