STAT Communications Ag Market News

U.S. Cotton Seedings May Climb

WASHINGTON - Mar 29/18 - SNS -- U.S. growers intend to plant 13.5 million acres of all classes of cotton in 2018, up 7% from last year, according to the USDA's seeding intentions report for 2018.

If realized, this will be the highest planted acreage since 2011.

Upland area is expected to total 13.2 million acres, up 7% from 2017. American Pima area is expected to total 262,000 acres, up 4% from 2017. Strong cotton prices, relative to competing crops, and the changes to the 2014 Farm Bill beginning with the 2018 crop, are driving the acreage increase throughout the Cotton Belt.

Growers across the Cotton Belt are expecting to increase all cotton planted acreage, with the exception of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia. Kansas upland planted area is expected to be a record high, if realized. Oklahoma planted area is expected to be the highest since 1961. Both Georgia and Texas, the largest cotton-producing States, expect to plant the highest upland cotton acreage since 2011.

Cotton Area Planted by Type - States and United States: 2016-2018
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :                                 Area planted
   Type and State   :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :       2016        :       2017        :      2018 1/      :    Percent of
                    :                   :                   :                   :   previous year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :     ------------------ 1,000 acres -----------------             percent
                    :
Upland              :
Alabama ............:        345.0               435.0               470.0               108
Arizona ............:        120.0               160.0               165.0               103
Arkansas ...........:        380.0               445.0               480.0               108
California .........:         63.0                88.0                82.0                93
Florida ............:        103.0                99.0               120.0               121
Georgia ............:      1,180.0             1,280.0             1,450.0               113
Kansas .............:         32.0                93.0               130.0               140
Louisiana ..........:        140.0               220.0               180.0                82
Mississippi ........:        435.0               630.0               580.0                92
Missouri ...........:        280.0               305.0               345.0               113
                    :
New Mexico .........:         47.0                66.0                70.0               106
North Carolina .....:        280.0               375.0               440.0               117
Oklahoma ...........:        305.0               585.0               680.0               116
South Carolina .....:        190.0               250.0               285.0               114
Tennessee ..........:        255.0               345.0               350.0               101
Texas ..............:      5,650.0             6,900.0             7,300.0               106
Virginia ...........:         73.0                84.0                80.0                95
                    :
United States ......:      9,878.0            12,360.0            13,207.0               107
                    :
American Pima       :
Arizona ............:         14.5                15.0                14.0                93
California .........:        155.0               215.0               230.0               107
New Mexico .........:          8.0                 7.5                 6.0                80
Texas ..............:         17.0                14.0                12.0                86
                    :
United States ......:        194.5               251.5               262.0               104
                    :
All                 :
Alabama ............:        345.0               435.0               470.0               108
Arizona ............:        134.5               175.0               179.0               102
Arkansas ...........:        380.0               445.0               480.0               108
California .........:        218.0               303.0               312.0               103
Florida ............:        103.0                99.0               120.0               121
Georgia ............:      1,180.0             1,280.0             1,450.0               113
Kansas .............:         32.0                93.0               130.0               140
Louisiana ..........:        140.0               220.0               180.0                82
Mississippi ........:        435.0               630.0               580.0                92
Missouri ...........:        280.0               305.0               345.0               113
                    :
New Mexico .........:         55.0                73.5                76.0               103
North Carolina .....:        280.0               375.0               440.0               117
Oklahoma ...........:        305.0               585.0               680.0               116
South Carolina .....:        190.0               250.0               285.0               114
Tennessee ..........:        255.0               345.0               350.0               101
Texas ..............:      5,667.0             6,914.0             7,312.0               106
Virginia ...........:         73.0                84.0                80.0                95
                    :
United States ......:     10,072.5            12,611.5            13,469.0               107
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1/ Intended plantings in 2018 as indicated by reports from farmers.

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