LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Cotton prices strengthened last week as drought, uneven planting progress, and weather risk continued to shape early-season conditions across the Belt.
The USDA’s weekly cotton market review (PDF Version) said spot quotations in the seven designated markets averaged 75.29 cents per pound, up 24 points from the previous week and well above 63.94 cents from the same period last year.
Trading was still mixed by region. Southeastern markets reported light spot trading with moderate demand, while the Delta saw little to no trading due to wet soils and repeated storms limiting fieldwork. In Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, producer interest in forward contracting was moderate as market prices moved higher.
Weather remains the main driver. Drought expanded across parts of the Southeast, while storms and heavy rain slowed field activity in the Delta. In South Texas, some fields near Corpus Christi were plowed up and are not expected to be replanted.
Meanwhile, planting progress stayed uneven across the West and Southwest. Arizona and parts of California moved ahead, but water shortages and cool, wet soils created setbacks in some areas.
The report showed a market with firmer prices but still highly uneven production prospects as the planting season unfolds.
(Tags: Cotton, USDA AMS, Drought, Planting Progress, Cotton Markets)
