Crop Progress: First Boll Set Noted

By Cotton Grower Staff|June 20, 2023

The first reports of boll set, primarily in Arizona and the southern parts of Texas, highlight the USDA Crop Progress report for cotton for the week ending June 18.

Overall, boll set is visible in 3% of the U.S. crop.

The report notes that 89% of the 2023 U.S. cotton crop has been planted – up 8 percentage points in the past week but still 5% shy of the 5-year average for the date. For all practical purposes, the planting season has ended for the season, with only three states – Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas – showing planting percentages below 90%. In all, 10 states match or exceed their respective 5-year averages for planting.

Squaring is now reported in 19% of the total crop – up 8 percentage points in the past week, yet slightly behind the 5-year average for the date. Squaring is currently ahead of average in Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, and Missouri.

The cooler, wetter, stormier weather of the past week is reflected in the cotton condition numbers. As of June 18, 47% of the U.S. crop was still rated good/excellent, 33% fair, and 20% poor/very poor.