The Ministry of Finance has suspended the import duty on cotton from June 1 to October 31, giving the much-sought relief for the textile industry.In a notification issued on May 30, the Ministry said the 11 % duty will not be levied from June 1.Cotton production in the current cotton marketing season (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026) is expected to be about 290 lakh bales as against the domestic requirement of nearly 320 lakh bales. The Union government suspended the import duty from April to October in 2022 and in 2025.Cotton price on Saturday was ₹64,000 a candy and the prices are on the rise for the last two months.Nearly 40 lakh bales of cotton have been imported so far in the current season. Published - May 30, 2026 09:01 pm IST