Crop Progress: Harvest Now Underway Across the Entire Cotton Belt

According to the USDA Crop Progress report for the week ending Oct. 16, 37% of the U.S. cotton crop has now been harvested – up 8 percentage points in the past week and 5 points ahead of the 5-year average for this date. Eleven states are currently running ahead of their respective averages. But the key takeaway from this week’s report is simple: harvest has now started in every cotton-producing state.

Open bolls are now reported in 89% of the U.S. crop – up 5 percentage points in the past week and 2 points ahead of average. In all, the open boll ratings in 13 states are on or ahead of average.

Crop condition remains essentially unchanged: 31% good/excellent, 23% fair, and 46% poor/very poor.