Posted March 29, 2017

 

By Seshadri Ramkumar

 

LUBBOCK, Texas – The demand for cotton is strong, which will be reflected in increased plantings.

 

The high level of optimism was evident in Lubbock at the Plains Cotton Growers’ (PCG) meeting last week.

 

At least a 15 percent increase in acreage is expected versus last year this planting season in Texas. High Plains of Texas with 41 cotton-growing counties will see a 15 percent to 20 percent increase in cotton planting this spring compared to last year.

 

Given the yield, quality of the crop and the price levels, cotton is the best crop in High Plains against food grains. High Plains has seen enhancement of quality in the recent crops with low bark and improvement in micronaire, which drive up cotton production, as there is demand for quality cotton world over. The importance of quality cotton with less contamination is a need felt by Indian cotton spinners. This may the reason that export countries such as Australia are taking a serious look at Indian market, which itself is a leading producer of cotton.

 

Last year in the High Plains, 3.68 million acres of upland cotton was planted, which is expected to go up this year. Steve Verett, executive vice president of PCG said that growers are indicating an increase of cotton plantings for 2017, especially in the northern High Plains region. Many PCG members plant various mixtures of crops and their seeking the mix that is most efficient and profitable for their individual operation is supported, he said.

 

The main reason for increased interest in cotton is the growing demand for cotton. Price fluctuations with synthetics and increase in general demand for cotton are major drivers. This season’s (October 16–September 17) crop in India is not what it was expected earlier, which also has aided more interest in cotton in the High Plains of Texas and elsewhere.

 

Of course, weather will be a major driver on what the yields will be for the 2017 crop in Texas, the leading cotton-producing state in the United States. Large range-modeling hints that good weather patterns in the May to June period, which may be beneficial to cotton, said Matt Ernst, Fox34 chief meteorologist in Lubbock.

 

All indicators point in the right direction for cotton and, surely, demand is leading the charge for more cotton.

 

Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D, FTA (honorary), is a professor at the Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory at Texas Tech.