USDA – Cotton Crop Maturing Nicely from Coast to Coast

Planting has essentially ended for the 2014 cotton crop, and it’s maturing nicely from one end of the Cotton Belt to the other, according to the numbers in the June 15 USDA Crop Progress report.

A few key Southwestern states – Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas – may have some acres left to plant. But in most states, growers were able to get this year’s cotton crop in the ground within standard planting windows and before insurance deadlines. According to the report, 95 percent of planned cotton acres have now been planted – right on target for the five-year average.

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In most cases, this year’s crop has had positive growing conditions and is maturing on schedule. Fourteen percent of the nation’s crop is now squaring – a six percent increase in the past week – with the largest increases in maturity reported this week in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The report also shows that overall condition of this young crop continues to be favorable. Eighty-eight percent of the crop is rated fair to excellent, with 51 percent rated good to excellent. To date, the bulk of acres rated poor are in Texas and have been impacted by continuing drought. However, recent rainfall throughout the state has helped improve overall conditions, with a small percentage of acres moving from poor to fair condition in the past week.

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