NATO countries face cotton shortage for ammunition production

NATO countries are facing a shortage of cotton needed to produce nitrocellulose, a key component of smokeless propellant used in modern ammunition. According to The Wall Street Journal, the limited supply of this raw material has become one of the main obstacles to expanding artillery shell production and rebuilding the alliance’s ammunition stockpiles.

Nitrocellulose is produced from cotton linters — the short fibres that remain on cotton seeds after the longer fibres have been removed. As a result, a crop traditionally associated with textiles, clothing and other consumer goods has become a strategically important raw material for the defence industry.

In the United States, where most cotton linters are sourced domestically, efforts are underway to increase production and expand nitrocellulose manufacturing capacity. European countries, by contrast, have long relied on imports of cotton linters and nitrocellulose from China, as cotton cultivation largely disappeared from the continent centuries ago.

As demand for ammunition continues to grow, European governments are seeking to reduce their dependence on imports by expanding domestic nitrocellulose production and exploring alternative plant-based feedstocks. The situation highlights the growing strategic importance of agricultural commodities not only for food security but also for defence industries.

Tags: war, cotton, НАТО