Cotton harvest across the U.S. Cotton Belt made a 10% jump in the past week, based on the USDA Crop Progress report for the week ending Oct. 31.

The report shows that 45% of the U.S. crop is now harvested, compared to 35% last week. What’s encouraging about the week’s progress is that harvest now sits only 3 percentage points behind the 5-year average for the date. Eight states – Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee – all showed double digit increases in harvest progress.

The report also noted that open bolls are now reported in 94% of the U.S. cotton crop – up 3 percentage points in the past week and only a single percentage point off the 5-year average.

Crop condition remains relatively steady: 62% rated good/excellent, 33% fair, and only 5% poor.