Cotton production in the United States fluctuates significantly from year to year. In 2024, around ***** million bales of cotton were produced in the United States, an increase from about **** million bales in the previous year. Leading States for cotton production Historically, much of the cotton in the United States has been grown in the Southern states, and this trend continues to this day. Texas had a cotton production volume of about *** million bales in 2023, making that state the top producer of cotton in the United States. Texas produced significantly more than the second leading producer of cotton, Georgia. In that year, Georgia produced around **** million bales of cotton. Genetically modified cotton Compared to other crops like genetically modified corn and soybeans, the acreage of genetically modified cotton is relatively low in the United States. However, between 2015 and 2019 the area planted with GM cotton in the U.S. has been slowly increasing. One of the most common types of genetically modified cotton is herbicide resistant cotton, which can survive being sprayed with herbicides while surrounding weeds are destroyed

Annual cotton production in the United States grew from just a few thousand tons at the turn of the 19th century, to fluctuating between 1.6 million and 4.3 million tons throughout most of the 20th century. The amount of space used to produce cotton also grew from three to almost 18 million hectares of land between 1866 and the 1920s, before dropping to around four or five million hectares between the 1960s and 1980s. Despite this drop in land usage, advancements in agricultural technology meant that output remained relatively constant in the 20th century, meaning that output per hectare actually increased significantly.

The mechanical cotton gin's invention in 1793 revolutionized the U.S. cotton industry, which grew exponentially in the early 19th century. Cotton was the U.S.' primary export in these years, and its production was driven by slave labor in the southern states (particularly South Carolina). For the first time, output exceeded one million tons in 1859, and again in 1861, however, the disruption of the American Civil War caused cotton output to drop by over 93 percent in the next three years, to just 68 thousand tons by 1864. Production resumed upon its previous trajectory following the war's end, and many of the former-slaves forced to work on cotton plantations continued to work in the cotton industry, but as sharecroppers who worked the land in exchange for a share of the harvest, as well as housing and facilities (this was similar to tenant farming, although sharecroppers received a smaller share of the crop and had fewer legal protections).

This statistic shows the total value of cotton production in the U.S. from 2000 to 2024. In 2024, the value of production stood at around 4.67 billion U.S. dollars. The United States were ranked as third leading cotton producing country worldwide in 2022/2023.

The cotton industry has faced a revenue decline over the current period, driven by global oversupply and weakened demand, with fierce competition from major international producers. Cotton prices have remained low, pressuring industry revenue, which has dropped at a CAGR of 6.9% since 2020 to reach $5.8 billion after growing 7.6% in 2025. Globally, production has continued to expand, leading to record-high stocks, especially in major producing countries like the US, Brazil and China. This oversupply has resulted in volatile markets and intensified global competition, particularly from Brazil, which offers lower-cost cotton. Paired with an appreciated US dollar over the current period, this has posed a strong challenge to US exports and domestic market position. Input costs for cotton producers have remained elevated, despite many easing from their 2022 spike. Fertilizer prices have stayed high due to geopolitical tensions, tariffs and persistent supply chain disruptions. Seed costs continue to rise with ongoing advancements in seed genetics and supplier consolidation. Meanwhile, labor expenses are growing due to a scarcity of skilled workers and an increased dependence on costly immigrant labor solutions like the H-2A visa program. Current immigration restrictions have further limited the labor supply. These factors, combined with weak cotton prices, have significantly cut into industry profit, prompting many farmers to join cooperatives or consolidate to take advantage of economies of scale. Other producers are shifting some of their acreage to more profitable crops to sustain their operations. Despite continuing climate and price challenges, the industry faces a more optimistic outlook. Climate change poses significant risks with increased droughts and heatwaves threatening yields, necessitating investment in resilient cotton varieties. Sustainability and traceability demands are reshaping industry practices, offering avenues for premium markets despite the compliance costs. Over the next five years, cotton prices are set to remain subdued, while production continues to increase, though at a slower pace. Industry revenue is forecast to expand at a modest CAGR of 0.8%, reaching $6.0 billion in 2030.

Market Size statistics on the Cotton Farming industry in the US

This statistic shows the leading ten U.S. states with the highest cotton production in 2024. In that year, Texas was estimated to produce about *** million bales of cotton. The United States in total were ranked as third leading cotton producing country worldwide in 2023/2024. Cotton production The production of cotton is one of the United States’ most important industries. The country was the world’s third largest cotton producer after China and India, as well as the leading global cotton exporter in 2022/2023. In terms of cotton production by state, U.S. cotton is mostly grown and harvested in the Southern states, also known as the “Cotton Belt” where cotton plantations were established in the 1800s. More than *** billion U.S. dollars’ worth of cotton was produced in Texas in 2022. Upland cotton is the nation’s most commonly cultivated variety of cotton. American Pima, a finer and more expensive cotton fiber, is mainly cultivated in Arizona and California. In 2023, the United States allocated some ***** million acres of land for planting cotton. Approximately ***** million bales of cotton were produced that year.Cotton is typically used in the production of textiles. Hence Bangladesh, a leader in textile manufacturing, was the largest cotton importer in 2022/2023.

United States Crop Production: Cotton: Yield Per Acre data was reported at 905.000 Bale in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 867.000 Bale for 2016. United States Crop Production: Cotton: Yield Per Acre data is updated yearly, averaging 619.000 Bale from Dec 1963 (Median) to 2017, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 905.000 Bale in 2017 and a record low of 404.000 Bale in 1980. United States Crop Production: Cotton: Yield Per Acre data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Agricultural Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.B068: Agriculture Crop Production.

Graph and download economic data for Fine Cotton Goods Production for United States (M01094USM588NNBR) from Apr 1918 to Apr 1930 about cotton, production, goods, and USA.

United States Long Term Projections: Upland Cotton: Production data was reported at 16,000.000 Bale th in 2034. This records an increase from the previous number of 15,900.000 Bale th for 2033. United States Long Term Projections: Upland Cotton: Production data is updated yearly, averaging 15,500.000 Bale th from Dec 2022 (Median) to 2034, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16,000.000 Bale th in 2034 and a record low of 11,750.000 Bale th in 2023. United States Long Term Projections: Upland Cotton: Production data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Department of Agriculture. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RI012: Agricultural Projections: Upland Cotton.

Graph and download economic data for Cotton Production by Slater & Tiffany Mill (CPNESLATERTIFFANY) from 1827 to 1837 about New England, cotton, textiles, mills, production, and USA.

United States Crop Production: Cotton: American Pima: Yield Per Acre data was reported at 1,341.000 Bale in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,454.000 Bale for 2016. United States Crop Production: Cotton: American Pima: Yield Per Acre data is updated yearly, averaging 1,028.000 Bale from Dec 1978 (Median) to 2017, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,581.000 Bale in 2012 and a record low of 531.000 Bale in 1979. United States Crop Production: Cotton: American Pima: Yield Per Acre data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Agricultural Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.B068: Agriculture Crop Production.

United States Crop Production: Cotton: Upland: Yield Per Acre data was reported at 895.000 Bale in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 855.000 Bale for 2016. United States Crop Production: Cotton: Upland: Yield Per Acre data is updated yearly, averaging 683.000 Bale from Dec 1978 (Median) to 2017, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 895.000 Bale in 2017 and a record low of 402.000 Bale in 1980. United States Crop Production: Cotton: Upland: Yield Per Acre data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Agricultural Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.B068: Agriculture Crop Production.

United States Crop Production: Cotton: Upland data was reported at 20,223.000 Bale th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 16,601.000 Bale th for 2016. United States Crop Production: Cotton: Upland data is updated yearly, averaging 15,731.600 Bale th from Dec 1978 (Median) to 2017, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23,259.700 Bale th in 2005 and a record low of 7,676.700 Bale th in 1983. United States Crop Production: Cotton: Upland data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Agricultural Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.B068: Agriculture Crop Production.

The Census of Agriculture, produced by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), provides a complete count of America's farms, ranches and the people who grow our food. The census is conducted every five years, most recently in 2017, and provides an in-depth look at the agricultural industry.This layer summarizes cotton production from the 2017 Census of Agriculture at the county level.This layer was produced from data downloaded using the USDA's QuickStats Application. The data was transformed using the Pivot Table tool in ArcGIS Pro and joined to the county boundary file provided by the USDA. The layer was published as feature layer in ArcGIS Online. Dataset SummaryPhenomenon Mapped: 2017 Cotton ProductionCoordinate System: Web Mercator Auxiliary SphereExtent: 48 Contiguous United StatesVisible Scale: All ScalesSource: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service QuickStats ApplicationPublication Date: 2017AttributesThis layer provides values for the following attributes. Note that some values are not disclosed (coded as -1 in the layer) to protect the privacy of producers in areas with limited production.Area Harvested in AcresOperations with Area HarvestedOperations with SalesProduction in BalesSales in US DollarsIrrigated Area Harvested in AcresOperations with Irrigated Area HarvestedAdditionally attributes of State Name, State Code, County Name and County Code are included to facilitate cartography and use with other layers.What can you do with this layer?This layer can be used throughout the ArcGIS system. Feature layers can be used just like any other vector layer. You can use feature layers as an input to geoprocessing tools in ArcGIS Pro or in Analysis in ArcGIS Online. Combine the layer with others in a map and set custom symbology or create a pop-up tailored for your users.For the details of working with feature layers the help documentation for ArcGIS Pro or the help documentation for ArcGIS Online are great places to start. The ArcGIS Blog is a great source of ideas for things you can do with feature layers.This layer is part of ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World that provides an easy way to find and explore many other beautiful and authoritative layers, maps, and applications on hundreds of topics.

Graph and download economic data for Cotton Production by Dwight I Mill (CPNEDWIGHTI) from 1841 to 1860 about New England, cotton, textiles, mills, production, and USA.

The South American Cotton Market Report is Geographically Segmented Into Brazil, Argentina, and Other Countries. The Market Analysis Encompasses Production Volume, Consumption Metrics (value and Volume), Export Statistics (value and Volume), Import Data (value and Volume), and Price Trends. The Market Size and Forecasts are Presented in USD Thousand (value) and Metric Tons (volume) Across all Segments.

In the U.S. in 2023, Texas had the highest value of cotton production by far compared to any other state. Texas produced over *** million dollars' worth of cotton that year. Georgia, the next leading state produced about *** million dollars' worth of cotton.

The United States Census Bureau has conducted surveys of manufacturing activity since 1810 with fluctuating frequency. Between 1919 and 1939 the Census of Manufactures (CM) was conducted biennially. This data collection consists of individual-plant data from the Census of Manufactures for 1929, 1931, 1933, and 1935, the only years in this span for which original returns are available. The records of the Cotton Goods Industry have been coded to produce an electronic dataset to provide the basis for microeconomic evidence for the study of the Great Depression. The dataset contains observations on: basic information about the plants (e.g. name, location, owner, etc.), products made and materials used, operation and working hours, employment, wages and salaries, costs and amount of materials used, value of products and processing tax (1933 and 1935), machinery, and power used.

Graph and download economic data for Cotton Production by Nashua Mill (CPNENASHUA) from 1826 to 1860 about New England, cotton, textiles, mills, production, and USA.

This statistic shows the world's leading cotton producing countries in crop year 2022/2023. In that year, cotton production in China amounted to around 6.7 million metric tons.

Cotton production

Cotton is a natural plant fiber which grows around the seed of the cotton plant. Fibers are used in the textile industry, where they are the starting point of the production chain. First, the cotton fiber is obtained from the cotton plant and then spun into yarn. From there, the cotton yarn is woven or knitted into fabric.

The use of cotton has a long tradition in the clothing industry due to its desirable characteristics. Cloths made of this fiber are moisture-absorbent, have a good drape and are known for their long durability. Consumers continue to purchase large amounts of cotton products as they prefer cotton’s light and comfortable qualities. Products made out of cotton range from highly absorbent bath towels over bed linens to basic clothes such as t-shirts, underwear or socks.

The top cotton producing countries include China, India and the United States respectively. Within the United States, the Southern states traditionally harvest the largest quantities of cotton. This region was formerly known as the ‘Cotton Belt’, where cotton was the predominant cash crop from the 18th to the 20th century. Due to soil depletion and social and economic changes, cotton production has declined and acres in this region are now mainly used for crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.