USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released their 2021 planted acreage reports, and Becky Sommer with NASS in Washington D.C. says cotton acreage across the country is down three percent from last year.
Cotton growers planted 11.7 million acres in 2021, down 3 percent from last year. Upland planted area is estimated at 11.6 million acres, down 3 percent from 2020. American Pima acreage is estimated at 142,000 acres, down 30 percent from the previous year.
Compared with last year, upland planted area declined in 9 of the 17 major cotton-producing States. The largest decline is in Arkansas, where cotton planted decreased by 115,000 acres from last year. Acreage in Texas also declined by 100,000 acres. There were 7 States showing an increase compared with last year, with Missouri having the largest increase at 95,000 acres.
By June 20, ninety?six percent of the nation’s cotton acreage had been planted, 1 percent ahead of last year’s pace and the 5?year average. Twenty?one percent of the acreage was squaring, 4 percent behind last year’s pace and the 5?year average. At that time, 52 percent of the acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, compared with 40 percent rated in these two categories at the same time last year.
Cotton growers in Georgia planted an estimated 1.2 million acres, up 1 percent from last year. In Alabama, area planted to cotton is estimated at 410,000 acres, down 9 percent from the previous year. Florida cotton is estimated at 90,000 acres, down 8 percent from last year.
In summary, area planted to cotton in the United States is estimated at 11.7 million acres in 2021, down 3 percent from last year.
This is Becky Sommer with the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.