Cotlook Index: 08-07-2026
90.25 (+2.95)
Indian CWG 2026 contingent to wear jute-viscose apparel
Thu. 9th July 2026 (Source: www.fibre2fashion.com/news)
Insights: India's National Jute Board has developed jute-viscose blended apparel that will be worn by Indian athletes and team members participating in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2026, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.
The blended fabric was developed with the support of Gloster Jute Mills, Kolkata.
The apparel was designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi.
India’s National Jute Board (NJB) has developed jute-viscose blended apparel that will be worn by Indian athletes and team members participating in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2026, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.
The blended fabric was developed with the support of Gloster Jute Mills, Kolkata.
The initiative highlights the potential of fully biodegradable jute-viscose blended fabric as a sustainable and innovative textile solution and this is for the first time that jute-based apparel will be showcased at an international multi-sport event, a release from the Ministry of Textiles said.
The apparel was designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi.
Rainfall Deficit Threatens Nandurbar Cotton
Wed. 8th July 2026, Yash Chouhan (Source: www.smartinfoindia.com)
Rainfall Deficit Threatens Cotton Crop in Nandurbar; Farmers Concerned
A weak start to the monsoon in Nandurbar district this year has heightened concerns among cotton-growing farmers. Despite the commencement of the Kharif season, the lack of adequate rainfall has led to a severe moisture deficit in the fields. This is directly impacting the cotton crop; plant growth has stalled in many areas, while the crop has begun to wither in others. Farmers fear that without substantial rainfall soon, there could be a drastic drop in production this year.
Farmers have invested thousands of rupees in seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and other agricultural activities for cotton sowing. However, the absence of expected rainfall has put this investment at risk. The continuously depleting soil moisture is hindering plant development, raising the likelihood of a negative impact on both crop quality and yield.
The lack of rain is forcing farmers to make extra efforts to save their crops. They are incurring additional expenses on weeding, pest control, and other farm management tasks, which has further compounded their financial woes. Meanwhile, the low moisture levels are increasing the risk of pest infestations and diseases in the cotton crop, deepening fears of potential losses.
Cotton is cultivated on a large scale in Nandurbar district during the Kharif season, and the livelihoods of thousands of families depend on this crop. Farmers who have already sown their crops are making every possible effort to save them, while those who have not yet sown are waiting for rain before deciding on their next course of action.
Currently, the hopes of the district's farmers rest on the prospect of good rainfall in the coming days. Timely and adequate rain could provide relief to the crop and improve yield prospects. However, any further delay in rainfall could result in significant financial losses for the farmers. Thus, the future of this year's cotton crop appears to hinge entirely on the monsoon's performance.
ICE cotton retreats from one-month high on profit booking
Thu. 9th July 2026 (Source: www.fibre2fashion.com/news)
Insights: ICE cotton futures retreated from a one-month high as profit booking and a stronger US dollar weighed on prices.
The December 2026 contract settled at 80.67 cents/lb, though it remained higher for the week.
Rising crude oil prices, weaker US crop ratings, and cautious positioning ahead of key USDA reports helped limit losses, supporting overall market sentiment.
ICE cotton futures retreated from a one-month high on profit booking. A stronger US dollar added pressure on the natural fibre by making US cotton more expensive for overseas buyers. However, a sharp rise in crude oil prices amid geopolitical tensions limited the decline by providing support to the market.
The most active December 2026 contract settled at 80.67 cents down 0.62 cent or 0.76 per cent. The contract remained 355 points higher for the week so far, reflecting strength of the recent uptrend, despite Wednesday’s pullback. December traded in a 149-point intraday range between 79.80 cent and 81.29 cent, with the day's high matching Tuesday's settlement price of 81.29 cent, before prices weakened into the close.
Technically, December futures closed above the 10, 20, 40, 50, 100, and 200-day moving averages for the second consecutive session, the first time since March 10, indicating that the longer-term technical structure remains positive despite profit-taking. Market analysts said the market had rallied about 5 cents over the previous eight trading sessions, making profit-taking a natural development.
The US Dollar Index strengthened, climbing to a one-week high, which provided additional pressure on cotton prices by reducing the competitiveness of US exports.
CBOT soybean futures retreated from a seven-month high, as improving Midwest weather forecasts encouraged profit-taking across grain markets.
Despite the decline in soybeans, crude oil prices surged 4.4 per cent after renewed military exchanges near the Strait of Hormuz ended hopes for a ceasefire involving Iran, limiting losses in cotton by increasing the production cost of competing polyester fibre.
Market participants also continued to monitor reports of ongoing Chinese soybean purchases and rumours that China's State Reserve may begin cotton reserve auctions later this month, both of which influenced overall market sentiment.
Traders remained cautious ahead of Friday's USDA WASDE (World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates) Report, which is expected to provide updated global cotton supply and demand projections.
Market attention also remained focused on Thursday's USDA Weekly Export Sales Report, which will provide the latest indication of export demand for US cotton. The latest USDA Crop Progress Report continued to show 46 per cent of the US cotton crop rated Good-to-Excellent, down from 48 per cent the previous week and 52 per cent a year earlier. The report also showed 49 per cent of the US cotton crop had reached the squaring stage, up from 37 per cent the previous week and slightly above the five-year average of 47 per cent.
Trading volume declined to 54,192 contracts from 88,745 contracts in the previous session, as buying activity slowed following Tuesday's sharp rally. ICE certified cotton stocks declined by 95 bales to 184,939 bales, reflecting another small reduction in deliverable supplies.
The July 2026 cotton contract entered its last trading day with zero open interest, marking the completion of the delivery process for the expiring contract.
This morning (Indian Standard Time), ICE cotton for December 2026 was traded at 79.80 cents per pound (down 0.87 cent), cash cotton at 74.98 cents (down 0.73 cent), the July 2026 contract at 76.21 cents (down 0.73 cent), the October 2026 at 78.80 cents (down 0.18 cent), the March 2027 contract at 81.26 cents (down 0.84 cent) and the May 2027 contract at 82.11 cents (down 0.88 cent). A few contracts remained at their previous closing levels, with no trading recorded so far today.
India and Tajikistan Reaffirm Commitment to Strengthen Bilateral Economic Cooperation
Thu. 9th July 2026 (Source: www.textilevaluechain.in)
India and Tajikistan have reiterated their commitment to enhancing bilateral economic relations during the 12th Meeting of the India-Tajikistan Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which was conducted recently via video conference.
During the meeting, the Commission reviewed potential areas for collaboration across a wide range of sectors, including energy, hydropower, renewable energy, mining, critical minerals, textiles, digital economy, transport, logistics, and finance. These sectors were identified as offering significant opportunities for future cooperation between the two countries.
Delivering the opening remarks, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal highlighted the changing global trade environment, evolving supply chains and advances in technology. He emphasised the need for both countries to convert their long-standing political goodwill and historical ties into stronger economic outcomes.
The meeting was co-chaired by Mohi Yadav, Joint Secretary in India's Department of Commerce.
The discussions form part of the ongoing engagement between India and Tajikistan aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and expanding cooperation across strategic economic sectors.
India's Punjab signs digital logistics MoU with NLDSL
Thu. 9th July 2026 (Source: www.fibre2fashion.com/news)
Insights: Punjab has signed an MoU with NICDC Logistics Data Services Limited to digitise logistics data exchange through ULIP.
The move is aimed at improving visibility, operational efficiency and inter-departmental coordination for industries, MSMEs and exporters.
For manufacturing and export supply chains, the next focus is state-specific ULIP use cases.
NICDC Logistics Data Services Limited (NLDSL) and the Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Government of Punjab, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support the digital transformation of Punjab's logistics ecosystem through the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), a move expected to benefit industries, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), exporters and logistics stakeholders in the state.
Under the partnership, NLDSL will help the Punjab government build a digitally connected logistics system by enabling data exchange across departments through ULIP.
The collaboration is aimed at improving logistics visibility, operational efficiency, transparency, inter-departmental coordination and data-led policy and operational decisions.
ULIP functions as a unified digital gateway for logistics data from multiple government systems through application programming interface (API)-based integration.
The platform integrates 46 systems across 12 central ministries and departments through 142 APIs, covers more than 2,000 data fields, has enabled over 260 applications and facilitated more than 4.5 billion API transactions.
Following the MoU signing on July 7, 2026, an interactive ULIP workshop was organised for senior officials from state departments including Transport, Warehousing, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Public Works Department and Civil Aviation.
The workshop focused on identifying Punjab-specific use cases to address logistics challenges, improve supply-chain visibility and support ease of doing business.
NLDSL also showcased digital platforms including the Logistics Data Bank, Koyla Shakti – Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard, Track Your Transport, Transport Management System and Logistics e-Marketplace. The MoU was signed by NLDSL chief executive officer Takayuki Kano and Director, Industries and Commerce, Government of Punjab, Jaspreet Singh, in the presence of Minister of Industries and Commerce Aman Arora and other officials.
NICDC is implementing national initiatives including PM MITRA Mega Textile Parks and the India Industrial Land Bank, while NLDSL is the logistics arm of NICDC and a joint venture between NICDC Industrial Development Trust and NEC Corporation of Japan.
For manufacturing and export supply chains, the Punjab exercise points to a continued shift towards integrated logistics data and application-based visibility.
Gujarat Cotton Sowing Reaches 9.32 Lakh Hectares; Saurashtra Tops Kharif 2026
Thu. 9th July 2026, yash chouhan (Source: www.smartinfoindia.com)
Cotton Sowing in Gujarat Crosses 9.32 Lakh Hectares; Saurashtra Leads; Oilseed Acreage at 6.66 Lakh Hectares
Ahmedabad, July 6. Cotton sowing is progressing rapidly in Gujarat during the Kharif 2026 season. So far, cotton has been sown across 9,31,926 hectares in the state, representing 39.1 percent of the normal area. However, during the same period last year, the acreage stood at 1,710,610 hectares.
Region-wise data indicates that Saurashtra leads in cotton sowing, with 6,27,100 hectares covered. This is followed by Kutch (48,200 hectares), North Gujarat (1,17,100 hectares), Central Gujarat (1,09,800 hectares), and South Gujarat (29,800 hectares).
In terms of districts, Surendranagar ranks first with 1,92,000 hectares. Other major cotton-producing districts include Botad (1,11,800 hectares), Morbi (1,06,400 hectares), Bhavnagar (89,700 hectares), and Amreli (69,900 hectares).
Meanwhile, total sowing of oilseed crops in the state has reached 6,66,029 hectares, accounting for 22.72 percent of the normal area. This includes groundnut sowing across 6,28,888 hectares (32.83%), soybean across 35,200 hectares (12.51%), sesame across 901 hectares (1.82%), and castor across 1,041 hectares (0.15%). Total Kharif sowing in the state has reached 1,854,564 hectares as of July 6, 2026, representing 21.74 percent of the normal area. With the favorable progress of the monsoon, sowing of cotton and oilseed crops is expected to gain further momentum in the coming days.
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh to Inaugurate Indie Haat 2026 on July 13 in New Delhi
Thu. 9th July 2026 (Source: www.textilevaluechain.in)
Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh will inaugurate Indie Haat – A Celebration of India’s Rich Handloom and Handicraft Heritage on 13 July 2026.
The event will be held from 10–19 July 2026 at the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, New Delhi. Indie Haat 2026 is being organised alongside Bharat Tex 2026, which will take place at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 14–17 July 2026.
The initiative has been curated to present India's traditional handloom and handicraft products to an international audience. It is aligned with the objectives of the Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local campaigns and has been developed exclusively for Bharat Tex 2026 to promote products made by Indian weavers and artisans.
Indie Haat is being organised by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms). The event has been curated by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to present Indian craftsmanship through a contemporary exhibition format.
The exhibition will feature handcrafted and handwoven products created by 48 artisans and weavers along with 12 design-led handicraft and handloom brands established by NIFT alumni.
Visitors will be able to explore a wide range of traditional crafts, including:
The event will also include live demonstrations of traditional craft techniques, allowing visitors to observe artisans at work. Organisers stated that the exhibition will facilitate direct interaction between artisans and buyers to strengthen market linkages.
To increase international participation, the Indie Haat e-invite has been included in the official buyer kit for Bharat Tex 2026, with additional promotional activities planned across Bharat Mandapam.
According to the Ministry, Bharat Tex 2026 will span 1.6 million square feet of exhibition space and feature more than 20,000 textile products. The event is expected to welcome more than 7,000 international buyers and over 1,30,000 visitors, including policymakers, global CEOs and industry leaders.
India, ASEAN Negotiators Push to Expedite Review of Free Trade Agreement
Thu. 9th July 2026 (Source: www.textilevaluechain.in)
Negotiators from India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have instructed their teams to speed up negotiations on the review of the free trade agreement (FTA) after the original deadline of December 2025 was not met. The joint committee responsible for overseeing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) called on its sub-panels to accelerate negotiations during its 13th meeting, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday.
“The joint committee provided strategic guidance to the sub-committees in their respective areas of work and urged them to expedite the finalisation of the outstanding chapters under the AITIGA review,” the ministry said.
The five-day joint committee meeting, which began on Monday, will conclude on Friday.
“To maintain the momentum of negotiations, the sub-committees were assigned time-bound deliverables and encouraged to work closely towards achieving tangible outcomes within the agreed timelines,” the ministry added.
According to the ministry, meetings of three of the eight sub-committees are taking place alongside the joint committee meeting. These discussions cover customs procedures and trade facilitation, national treatment and market access, and rules of origin.
The review of AITIGA, which came into force in 2010, remains a priority for New Delhi as it seeks to address its widening trade imbalance with the Asean bloc. Since the agreement took effect, India's imports from Asean have nearly quadrupled, while its exports have not doubled over the past 16 years.
India's trade deficit with Asean increased to over $50 billion in 2025, compared with over $5 billion in 2009, the year before the FTA came into force.
Trade experts, however, argue that India should focus on strengthening export competitiveness rather than depending on the FTA review to reduce the trade deficit.
“The objective of an FTA review is to deepen trade liberalisation, not restrict it. India’s trade deficit with many FTA partners tends to widen because its import duties are generally higher than those of its partners, giving them a greater tariff advantage once the pact comes into force,” said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Delhi-based Global Trade Research Initiative.
He added that a significant share of India's imports from Asean consists of raw materials and intermediate goods used in manufacturing export products.
“As a result, curbing imports from the bloc may not be the most effective way to address the trade imbalance.”
