FREDERICK, OK. -- Southwest cotton growers in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas will go against the national trend in 2008 and grow more cotton than the other U.S.cotton-growing regions, but not as much as some experts first thought.
We have two surveys of 2008 intended cotton plantingfrom the USDA and the National Cotton Council.
Cotton growers in the three states were the only cotton farmers in the U.S. to have increases in acreages and yields per acre in 2007. They produced 5,122,000 bales in 2007. According to the USDA survey, the Southwest area in 2008 will plant 4,935,000 acres to cotton. In the NCC survey, Southwest farmers stated intentions of planting 5,021,000 acres in 2008. If you follow the USDA figures, this means a 3.7 percent decrease in acreage, compared to 2007. NCC figures estimated a 2.0 percent decrease in acreage for 2008.
In the three state area, Texas has by far the largest cotton acreage; planting 4.900,000 actual acres in 2007. USDA predicts 4,700,000 cotton acres in 2008 for Texas. NCC predicts 4,788,000 cotton acres in Texas in 2008.
USDA survey predicts a 4.1 percent acreage decrease in 2008 for Texas; NCC predicts a 2008 2.3 percent acreage decrease in Texas.
Oklahoma cotton growers had 175,000 actual cotton acres in 2007. The only state to have a predicted increase in cotton acreage for 2008 by both surveys, USDA predicts 190,000 2008 acres and NCC predicts 180,000 acres for 2008. USDA predicts an 8.6 percent 2008 increase and NCC predicts a 2.6 percent acreage increase for Oklahoma.
Kansas cotton producers had 47,000 actual cotton acres in 2007. USDA predicts 45,000 2008 acres for Kansas and NCC predicts 54,000 2008 acres. USDA predicts a 4.3 percent acreage decrease and NCC predicts a 15.6 percent acreage increase in 2008 for Kansas.
Overall, there were 10,830,000 actual acres of cotton, upland and extra long staple, grown in the US in 2007.
USDA predicts 9,390,000 acres of all types of cotton to be grown nationally in 2008. NCC predicts 9,549,000 acres nationally for 2008.
USDA predicts a 13.3 percent decrease in all 2008 national cotton production. NCC predicts a 11.8 percent national decrease in all cotton production.
In other cotton-growing areas, USDA predicts a 10,3 percent decrease in 2008 cotton acreage for the Southeastern states; 28.7 percent decrease for the MidSouth area; and 34.5 percent decrease in the Western states for upland cotton.
NCC predictions are a 11.5 percent decrease in 2008 cotton acreage for the Southeast; 25.5 percent decrease for the MidSouth; and 38.7 percent decrease in cotton acreage for the West.
For the ELS cotton growing area in the West, 292,000 actual acres were planted in 2007. USDA predicts 204,000 acres in 2008 for the ELS areas. NCC predicts 231,000 acres of ELS cotton in 2008. USDA predicts an ELS acreage decrease of 30.3 percent in 2008 for ELS cotton. NCC predicts a 21.1 percent ELS 2008 acreage decrease