Cotton commodity prices on Agriwatch are updated regularly based on the latest available mandi and market data.
Cotton, often referred to as “White Gold”, is one of India’s most important commercial crops and the backbone of the country’s textile industry. It plays a vital role in agriculture, manufacturing, exports, and rural employment. From apparel to industrial fabrics, cotton supports a vast domestic and global value chain.
Given India’s position as one of the largest producers and exporters globally, movements in the cotton market price are closely tracked by farmers, traders, ginners, mills, exporters, and institutional buyers. Changes in crop size, government procurement, and international demand directly influence the cotton market price in India.
Botanical Name: Gossypium spp.
Family: Malvaceae
Cotton is cultivated across diverse agro-climatic zones and is widely adapted to Indian conditions.
Regional cultivation patterns and market conditions can influence today’s cotton rate in India across different trading centres.
Cotton cultivation is divided into three major zones:
Northern Zone
Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
Central Zone
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat
Southern Zone
Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
Production from these zones plays a decisive role in shaping the cotton market rate and national supply trends.
Differences in production and arrival volumes across these zones can affect the cotton price today in India.
Cotton has applications across multiple industries:
Textile & Apparel
Clothing such as shirts, jeans, t-shirts, and innerwear
Home textiles including bed sheets, curtains, and towels
Denim and industrial fabrics
Medical & Hygiene
Surgical cotton, gauze, bandages
Cotton swabs and personal care products
Industrial Applications
Cottonseed oil used in cooking and processed foods
Cottonseed meal for animal feed
Cotton linters used in specialty industrial products
Demand across these segments affects the cotton commodity price, especially during peak textile consumption seasons.
Demand from textile, medical, and industrial applications can contribute to changes in the cotton today's market price.
Cotton is a Kharif crop, typically:
Sown: June–July
Harvested: October–February
The crop requires well-distributed rainfall between 600–1,000 mm and thrives in black cotton soil and well-drained alluvial soils. Weather during sowing and maturity stages has a direct impact on yields and subsequently on the cotton mandi price in key markets.
Bt cotton varieties dominate Indian cultivation due to pest resistance and yield stability. Popular hybrids include RCH J-34, Bunny Bt, Mallika Bt, and MRC series.
Quality grading depends on:
Staple length
Micronaire (fiber fineness)
Tensile strength
Trash percentage
Moisture content
Premium grades such as Shankar-6 influence benchmark pricing and affect the cotton wholesale price across trading centres.
Variations in staple length, micronaire, and other quality attributes can influence today's cotton market rate for different grades.
India exports cotton, cotton yarn, and ready-made garments to countries including Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, UAE, the US, and Europe.
Export demand, especially from Bangladesh and China, significantly impacts the cotton market price today. Global price indicators such as ICE futures and Cotlook A Index also influence domestic sentiment.
Arrival Season
October–January (peak arrivals)
Lean Season
March–July (lower arrivals)
During peak arrival months, the cotton mandi rate may soften due to higher supply. In lean periods, reduced arrivals and steady mill demand often support prices.
Price volatility is influenced by:
MSP declarations
Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) procurement
Export-import policies
Global textile demand
Crop size in the US, Brazil, and China
The cotton market rate today reflects the interplay of these domestic and international factors.
For traders, ginners, textile mills, and exporters, monitoring the cotton mandi rate today and broader market movements is essential for procurement and inventory planning. Benchmark mandis such as Rajkot play a key role in price discovery.
Tracking the current cotton rates and wholesale trends helps stakeholders manage exposure in both spot and futures markets.