Cotton linter pulp mills and refined cotton plants in China are largely running with low operating rates, exerting a significant impact on the cotton linter import market. China’s imports of cotton linter in March were up 101.2 per cent month on month but down 70.2 per cent on a yearly basis.

The cotton linter import market has witnessed big volatility since the beginning of this year. In March, China’s imports of cotton linter from Turkey were 37.6 per cent of the total. Imports from the US occupied 22 per cent of the total.

For Q1 of 2018, China’s imports of cotton linter from Turkey and the US took up 40.5 per cent and 22.6 per cent of the total. Imports from India and Turkmenistan respectively occupied 17.44 per cent and 8.75 per cent of the total.

The import price in March was down 5.75 per cent year on year in the first quarter. Year on year it was down 4.18 per cent. Turkey and the US are the largest origins of China’s imported cotton linter while imports from India and Central Asia have decreased evidently. The ban on solid waste (including cotton waste) which took effect in January 2018, as well as the intense pressure of environmental protection, have exerted significant on cotton linter pulp mills and refined cotton plants.