The production of organic cotton, for the past four years, has increased every year and is back to its 2019/10 levels. It even slightly exceeds this level with 249,153 tons produced in 2019/20, up 3.9% compared to 2018/19.

The latest Textile Exchange Organic Cotton Market Report 2021 highlights that organic cotton is seeing record performance. There are some 229,280 farmers enrolled in organic farming over an area of 588,425 hectares in 21 countries. Still in the lead is India (50% of organic cotton production), then China (12%), Kyrgyzstan (12%), Turkey (10%), Tanzania (5%), Tajikistan (4 %) and the United States (3%). For a large part, these countries will keep their leadership because they are in the top five of the lands in conversion. This is the case of India (more than 22,000 ha), Turkey (9,014 ha), Tajikistan (8,595 ha) but also to a lesser extent of Tanzania and China. Overall, more than 50,000 ha of land are being reconverted, i.e. just under 10% of the total area in organic cotton. Thus for 2020/21, Textile Exchange anticipates a 48% rebound in organic cotton production, driven mainly by India and Turkey.

The sustainability and transparency of the cotton supply chain is gaining importance at the brand and retail level, which increases demand with a supply that is not always there. Also on the supply side, the US ban on cotton imports from China's Xinjiang region disrupted the supply chain and reminded big brands of the need for chain traceability. . In Africa, organic cotton production has increased by 91% driven by Tanzania. Sub-Saharan Africa remains a small producer of organic cotton with 18,202 tonnes produced.