Global cotton stocks are poised to jump to 23.32 million tonnes in 2023/24, the highest level ever projected in the 83-year history of data collection by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC). This represents a 10% increase over the 2022/23 season, and is driven by a projected 3% increase in global production and a 0.43% decrease in global consumption.

China's stocks are expected to jump to 9.16 million tonnes in 2023/24, while the rest of the world's warehouses are expected to swell to 14.5 million tonnes. With this amount in reserve, it is expected that the Cotlook A-Index will remain between 85 and 95 cents per pound for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

The global stock-to-use ratio is expected to increase to 1.00 (approximately 12 months of mill use) and the global average yield in 2023/24 is currently expected to remain stable at 771 kg per hectare. Despite average cotton prices and weakening demand, total planted area is projected to be 32.2 million hectares, a perplexing 2% increase over the previous season.