Aug 19, 2021

West Texas leading organic cotton plantings

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service recently issued a report on the organic cotton market that shows West Texas will continue to lead organic cotton plantings for 2021 as demand remains good.

The 2020 fiber organic cotton crop was down a couple of thousand bales from the previous year. Price premiums paid for organic cottonseed fetched roughly a 100% premium. Reports for the 2021 harvest were mostly favorable.

Read the full text of the report below, or on the USDA website.

Production

The 2020 organic Upland and American Pima cotton production in the United States totaled 26,736 bales according to information collected from organic producers, marketing associations, and gins that process organic cotton. Production decreased by 2,615 bales from the previous year. An additional 263 transitional bales were reported. Production was concentrated in West Texas with additional acreage in Arizona, California, and New Mexico.

Cottonseed

Organic cottonseed prices ranged from 400 to 600 dollars per ton. This compares to 180 to 335 dollars per ton for conventional cotton. Cottonseed yields ranged from 500 to 775 pounds of seed per bale of ginned lint. Most of the cottonseed was sold to organic dairies. Some was saved for replanting and organic fertilizer. Other uses include products for human consumption.

2021 Crop Outlook

Limited availability of non-genetically modified planting seed for organic Upland and American Pima forced producers to incorporate varieties from other locations. Irrigated acreage increased in Arizona and California. West Texas received untimely rainfall during the growing season that left fields soggy and weeds became uncontrollable. Some stands were failed and plowed. Demand was very good. Transitional acres were expected to increase. Texas continued to lead organic cotton plantings and production, with additional acreage in Arizona, California, and New Mexico. The COVID-19 pandemic pressured commodity markets and shipping logistics.

Study details environmental benefits of growing cotton organically