Uzbekistan becomes China’s largest source of cotton imports

In the first six months of 2009, Uzbekistan surpassed India for the first time and became China’s second largest source of cotton imports. According to Chinese customs statistics, China imported 115,000 tons of cotton from Uzbekistan from January to July 2009, worth US$140 million, a year-on-year decrease of 13.8% and 34.8%, lower than the average decrease. At the same time, Uzbekistan’s cotton yarn exports to China increased significantly. When the financial crisis continues, China’s domestic supply is sufficient, and cotton imports overall decline, Uzbekistan’s impact on China’s cotton exports is smaller than that of other exporting countries.