The number is slightly higher than a 5.91 million tonnes forecast for the September-August crop year from China's agriculture ministry earlier this month and up from an estimated 5.8 million tonnes in 2019/20.
Top cotton consumer China has "expanded its import channels and strengthened cooperation with important cotton-producing countries such as Brazil and India to ensure stability of the domestic cotton supply chain," it added.
China will maintain policy support for its economic recovery, avoiding a sudden shift in policy, to help keep economic growth within a reasonable range in 2021, the Xinhua news agency said on Friday.