The latest cotton crop report is out. USDA’s Becky Sommer has the details.
Acreage updates for cotton were made in several states based on a thorough review of all available data. All cotton planted area totaled 10.2 million acres, down 8 percent from the previous forecast and down 26 percent from 2022. All cotton area harvested is forecast at 8.02 million acres, down 7 percent from the previous forecast but up 10 percent from last year. All cotton production is forecast at 13.1 million 480-pound bales, down 6 percent from the previous forecast and down 9 percent from 2022. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 786 pounds per harvested acre, up 7 pounds from the previous forecast but down 164 pounds per acre from 2022.
As of September 3, thirty?two percent of the Nation’s cotton had open bolls, 5 percent behind last year and 1 percent behind the 5?year average. Thirty?one percent of the 2023 cotton acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, 2 percent below the previous week and 4 percent below the previous year.
Cotton production in Georgia is forecast at 2.30 million bales, down 13 percent from last year. In Alabama, production is estimated at 680,000 bales, down 18 percent from 2022. Florida production is expected to total 100,000 bales, 39 percent below last year.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.