US Cotton Harvesting Accelerates; 31% Complete; 82% of Crop Bolls Open
According to the USDA's Crop Progress Report for the week ending October 11, 2026, cotton harvesting in the US has picked up pace. Harvesting is 31% complete across the country's 15 major cotton-producing states, up from 23% the previous week. However, the harvest progress is only 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 29%.
*Cotton Boll Opening Status*
The report indicates that 82% of cotton bolls in the US have opened, compared to 74% the previous week. The five-year average stands at 83%. This means boll opening is close to normal levels but remains 1 percentage point behind the average.
*Harvesting in Major States*
As of October 11, cotton harvesting completion rates were: Louisiana 64%, Mississippi 57%, Arkansas 45%, Arizona 43%, Texas 38%, and Tennessee 35%. Louisiana leads among these states.
In contrast, harvesting completion stood at 20% in California, 20% in Missouri, 18% in Virginia, 16% in Georgia, 13% in North Carolina, and 12% in South Carolina. Harvesting progress was recorded at 9% in Kansas and 1% in Oklahoma. *Crop Quality and Condition*
According to the USDA, as of October 11, the condition of the US cotton crop is rated as follows: 12% very poor, 24% poor, 30% fair, 28% good, and 6% excellent. Thus, 34% of the crop falls into the good or excellent categories, while 36% is in poor or very poor condition.
Compared to the previous week, the share of the crop rated 'good' rose from 27% to 28%, while the 'poor' category declined from 25% to 24%. The 'very poor' category remained steady at 12%.
*Conclusion:* Cotton harvesting in the US is progressing rapidly, and the rate of boll opening is close to the five-year average. However, crop quality remains mixed, as 36% of the crop is still in the poor or very poor categories. The market will be closely monitoring the pace of harvesting and actual crop yields in the coming period.
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