2015 Cotton – Planting Projections

We are at the beginning of another growing season and many cotton growers in New Mexico have already prepared their fields in preparation for planting. The cotton industry has continued to suffer under fluctuating lint prices which has affected the decision of many farmers in the cotton belt to grow cotton. The price drop that was experienced last year has created uncertainty about the acreage that will go into cotton in New Mexico during 2015 season. According to USDA Cotton Outlook, the area planted to cotton in USA will likely reduce by 12% during the coming season (down from 11 million acres in 2014 to estimated 9.7 million acres in 2015). According to the National Cotton Council, about 9.3% reduction in cotton acreage is predicted for New Mexico (down from 43,000 acres in 2014 to estimated 39,000 acres in 2015). Please, send your comments and contributions to John Idowu (email: jidowu@nmsu.edu; phone: 575-646-2571. Previous editions of the Cotton Newsletter are posted on http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/ifcpm/cotton-production.html