Cottonseed Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

The US paid the most for cottonseed in Q2 2026: USD 535/MT, up 1.9% from USD 525 in Q1. The steady crushing and feed demand kept things firm there. Worldwide, the average moved up 1.7%, to USD 486/MT from USD 478, largely because the ginning-season weather across the major producing regions ran a bit tighter than usual this year. What about H2 2026? We'd expect a global average somewhere in the USD 478-518/MT range, with the steady crushing and animal-feed demand doing most of the work.

Cottonseed is the byproduct that comes off the gin alongside cotton lint, roughly two-thirds of a cotton boll's weight by the time it leaves the ginning process. It feeds oil crushing for cottonseed oil, whole-seed and meal use as high-protein animal feed, particularly for dairy cattle, and a smaller planting-seed segment for next season's crop. Three things move the price more than anything else: the underlying cotton acreage and harvest volumes, since cottonseed supply is tethered directly to lint production, the crushing-sector demand for oil extraction, and the animal-feed demand tied to dairy and livestock operations.

The byproduct relationship to cotton lint is worth dwelling on, since it means cottonseed supply doesn't respond to its own price signals the way a dedicated crop would. Farmers plant cotton primarily for the lint fiber, and cottonseed volume simply follows from however much cotton acreage gets planted and harvested each season. That structural link means cottonseed availability tracks the broader cotton market's planting decisions rather than any cottonseed-specific dynamic, even though the crushing and feed markets that consume it operate largely independently of the textile industry that drives lint demand. Buyers new to this market sometimes underestimate how much that structural detail matters until they see it play out in the pricing data over a full cycle.

The dairy-feed application deserves a mention too, since it's a genuinely important use that doesn't get the same attention as the oil-crushing side. Whole cottonseed is valued in dairy rations for its combination of protein, fiber, and fat content, a nutritional profile that's hard to replicate with a single alternative ingredient, which has kept dairy-sector demand a steady, dependable outlet for cottonseed even in regions where crushing capacity is limited. That distinction is worth keeping in mind for anyone comparing this market to more conventional industrial or agricultural commodities.

Cottonseed Price Forecast for 2026

Supply and demand should stay moderately tight through H2 2026, with the ginning-season weather running a bit tighter than usual across several producing regions. The US and China both kept the crushing and feed demand steady through H1, and that's likely to continue. Brazil's export volumes kept building as well, while India's large domestic crop kept it the most affordable of the four. None of the four markets we track is showing signs of genuine disruption heading into the back half of the year.

Buyers should keep an eye on the underlying cotton-acreage trends specifically, since cottonseed supply is entirely a function of how much cotton gets planted and ginned, not a dedicated planting decision of its own. That's worth building into any longer-range planning rather than assuming current conditions will simply persist unchanged.

The dairy-feed demand segment tends to stay steadier than the oil-crushing side, tracking livestock-industry needs more than the broader vegetable-oil market cycles that shape crushing demand.

What could push prices higher? A weaker-than-expected cotton harvest in any of the major producing regions, or stronger-than-usual dairy-feed demand. What could pull them lower? A stronger cotton harvest than currently expected, which would bring more cottonseed supply along with it.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Cottonseed Prices Q2 2026:

• India: USD 451/MT
• China: USD 491/MT
• United States: USD 535/MT
• Brazil: USD 471/MT

Cottonseed Prices in India

India's cottonseed supply, tied closely to the domestic cotton harvest, saw firm demand this quarter, and the gain came to 1.8%, USD 443/MT to USD 451. That kept India comfortably the most affordable of the four markets.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q2 2026 in India?

The ginning-season output stayed roughly steady, and the domestic crushing and feed demand held firm right alongside it.

Cottonseed Prices in China

China climbed 1.7% to USD 491/MT, the crushing demand continuing to hold steady through the period.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q2 2026 in China?

The crushing-sector demand held steady, and that alone explains most of the move here.

Cottonseed Prices in United States

USD 535/MT. That's where the US landed in Q2, up 1.9% from USD 525 in Q1. The dairy-feed demand stayed firm, and the tighter ginning-season conditions pushed things higher.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q2 2026 in United States?

The dairy-feed demand held its ground, and the tighter ginning-season conditions are really what's keeping the US premium as wide as it is.

Cottonseed Prices in Brazil

Brazil gained 1.7% to USD 471/MT, the growing export volumes continuing to build through the period.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q2 2026 in Brazil?

The export volumes kept building, and the ginning-season conditions firmed alongside them.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Cottonseed Prices Q1 2026:

• India: USD 443/MT
• China: USD 483/MT
• United States: USD 525/MT
• Brazil: USD 463/MT

Cottonseed Prices in India

India gained 1.8% to USD 443/MT, the demand firming as the year opened.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q1 2026 in India?

The domestic crushing and feed demand firmed as the year opened, and the ginning-season output stayed roughly steady alongside it.

Cottonseed Prices in China

Chinese cottonseed rose 1.7% to USD 483/MT, the crushing demand firming with the new year.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q1 2026 in China?

The crushing-sector demand firmed only modestly with the new year, tracking the oil-extraction throughput closely.

Cottonseed Prices in United States

US cottonseed climbed 1.9% to USD 525/MT, the dairy-feed demand staying firm through the quarter.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q1 2026 in United States?

The dairy-feed demand stayed firm through the quarter, and the ginning-season output firmed only modestly.

Cottonseed Prices in Brazil

Brazilian cottonseed rose 1.8% to USD 463/MT, the export volumes building through the quarter.

Why did the price of Cottonseed change in Q1 2026 in Brazil?

The export volumes built through the quarter, tracking the international crushing-sector buying closely.

Quarterly Cottonseed Price Trends

The global average climbed steadily across the window, from USD 455/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 486 by Q2 2026, a net gain of about 6.8%. Every quarter posted a gain here, reflecting the tighter ginning-season output and the steady crushing and animal-feed demand across every market we track, with the pace of the gains picking up somewhat in the most recent two quarters. That kind of steady, uninterrupted climb is worth noting, since it stands in contrast to how choppy some other commodities in this space have looked over the same period.

What was Cottonseed Price in 2025?

2025 was a steady year for cottonseed. Starting near USD 455/MT in Q1, the global average finished 2025 at USD 470, a gain of about 3.3%. The crushing and animal-feed demand held consistent all year across every market we track, before the pace of gains picked up further once the tighter 2026 ginning season got underway. Buyers who track this market closely tend to view that steady annual pattern as the baseline against which any future quarter's move should be judged.

Cottonseed Prices in India in 2025

Indian prices moved from about USD 420/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 435 by Q4, up roughly 3.6%. The domestic demand held steady all year, and India stayed the most affordable of the four markets throughout.

Cottonseed Prices in China in 2025

Chinese prices climbed from USD 460/MT in Q1 to USD 475 by Q4, a 3.3% gain, tracking the steady crushing demand.

Cottonseed Prices in United States in 2025

US prices rose from USD 500/MT in Q1 to USD 515 by Q4, up 3.0%, the highest absolute price throughout the four markets on the steady dairy-feed demand.

Cottonseed Prices in Brazil in 2025

Brazilian prices moved from USD 440/MT in Q1 to USD 455 by Q4, a 3.4% gain, as the export volumes kept building through the year.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Cottonseed Price Intelligence

We keep a continuous eye on the cottonseed prices wherever it's produced or consumed at scale, tracing causation through the underlying cotton acreage and harvest volumes, the crushing-sector demand for oil extraction, and the animal-feed demand tied to dairy and livestock operations. Our analysts track the broader cotton-planting trends closely, given how directly they determine how much cottonseed supply reaches the market each season. We also flag any material shift in the underlying feedstock or trade-logistics conditions as soon as it becomes apparent. Need pricing data, bespoke market analysis, or procurement advisory? Reach out to our team.