Egyptian cotton exports hiked by 218.8% to reach 510,200 metric kantars, in the third quarter (Q3) of the agricultural season 2018/19, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced on Monday.
Egypt’s cotton exports registered at 160,100 metric kantars during the same period last year.
Egypt is the world’s second largest exporter of long-staple cotton, used mainly to make luxury linens, behind the United States. According to the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service only 3% of the total world cotton production is Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton. Egypt, the US, Israel, and Turkmenistan are the only countries producing ELS. Egypt produces ELS and long staple cotton.
Following the 2011 events, Egyptian cotton output fell drastically, however, it started to pick up since then.
According to the CAPMAS, the total consumption rate of domestic cotton reached 38,000 metric kantars in the Q3 of 2018/19 season from March through May, down from 39,200 metric kantars during the same period of the previous year.
In 2016, a scandal was foiled after an Indian textile manufacturer, Welspun India, falsely claimed that their sheets are premium Egyptian cotton products. Afterwards, interest in pure Egyptian cotton, especially from US buyers, started to increase.
