Xinjiang’s total cotton output, unit yield, planting area, and commodity allocations rank first in China for 26 consecutive years. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows, Xinjiang’s cotton output was 5.161 million tons in 2020, an increase of 3 per cent over last year accounting for 87 per cent of China’s total cotton output.

The Announcement of the National Bureau of Statistics on Cotton Production in 2020 issued by the National Bureau of Statistics shows cotton sown area in Xinjiang will reach 37.5285 million mu in 2020, accounting for 78.92 per cent of the national planting area. According to a sample survey by the National Bureau of Statistics, Xinjiang cotton (lint) yield is 137.5 kg/mu, which is higher than the national average yield of 13.2 kg/mu.

Thanks to the unique natural conditions, Xinjiang cotton has high quality. Since the 1990s, China’s cotton production area has gradually shifted from the Yellow River Basin to Xinjiang. At present, Xinjiang is the largest cotton producing area in China and an important cotton producing area in the world.