According to the customs, from Jan to May, China imported 1,206,300 tons, which decreased 161,600 tons year on year (-11.8%). China imported 144,600 tons on May, which decreased 27% year on year and deceased 32.3% mouth to mouth, the lowest level in this year. Because the international cotton price is higher than the domestic cotton price obviously, the export volume increased dramatically while the cotton import volume is decreasing. From Jan to May, China exported 21,100 tons cotton, which is 6.5 times compared to the same period of last year and 3.3 times than total export volume of last year. China exported 5,200 tons on May, which is 3.6 times compared to the same period of last year.
The main characteristics of cotton import and export in China from Jan to May are as follows:
First, the import volume of cotton drops continuously. The import volume dropped from 390,700 tons on Jan to 184,100 tons on Feb, 276,400 tons on March, 210,400 tons on April and 144,600 tons on May.
Second, the cotton import volume from India dropped obviously. From Jan to May, China imported 332,700 tons from India, which dropped 40.9% year on year and accounting for 27.6% in the total cotton import volume. While the year-on-year rate in last year was 41.2%, which dropped 13.6%. The import volume dropped monthly, it dropped from 198,400 tons on Jan to 1500 tons on May. (39,900 tons on Feb, 84,300 tons on March, 8600 tons on April) The cotton import volume accounted for 1% of the total cotton import volume.
Third, the USA is the main source of cotton import region in China, and the import volume keeps steady. From Jan to May, China imported 670,400 tons from the USA, which increased 54.2% year on year and accounting for 55.6% of the total cotton import volume, the proportion increased 23.8% year on year. The import volume from USA on May was 102,900 tons, which dropped 32.2% mouth to mouth but still accounting for 71.2% of the total import volume on the same mouth in China.
Forth, the import price of cotton increased continuously. On May, the average cotton import price was 3201 USD/Ton, which increased 36 USD mouth to mouth and the growth rate was 1.1%, 1415 USD year on year and the growth rate was 79.2%. The average price from USA was 3215 USD/Ton, which increased 48 USD mouth to mouth and the growth rate was 1.5%. The average price from India was 2305 USD/Ton, which dropped 638 USD mouth to mouth and the drop rate was 21.7%. From Jan to May, the average import price of cotton was 3023 USD/Ton, which increased 1285 USD year on year and the growth rate was 73.9%.
Fifth, the export volume of cotton increased dramatically, and mostly exported to Southeast Asia. From Jan to May, China exported 21,100 tons cotton, which increased 5.5 times year on year. Vietnam was 6000 tons, North Korea was 4200 tons, Bengal was 2900 tons, South Korea was 2300 tons and Indonesia was 2200 ton. The average export price was 3638 USD/Ton, which was 1.02 time compared to the same period in last year, and 615 USD/Ton higher than import price.
Sixth,
the phenomenon of default and break the contract is serious. Influenced by the dramatically changing cotton price and the international cotton price was higher than domestic cotton price, the phenomenon of default and break the contract is serious this year, leading to USA cotton export signing quantity appear negative continuously. From March 18
th to June 16
th, 13 weeks were negative and there were 10 weeks in China.
Many representatives of 2011 China international cotton meeting pointed that there are two problems shall be focus on with the changing cotton price: the first is cotton quality decreased; the second is trade environment faced impact. We shall propose whether the cotton price is high or low, we will keep the trade environment. If our credit trade environment lost, we will lose the future.