USDA estimates Argentina cotton production for marketing year 2024/25 at 1.5 million 480-pound bales, down 10 percent from last month and 9 percent from last year. Cotton yield is estimated at 544 kilograms per hectare, down 11 percent from last month and 6 percent from last year. Harvested area is estimated at 600,000 hectares, unchanged from last month, but down 4 percent from last year. 

Cotton is mainly grown in the northern growing provinces: on average, 48 percent of production occurs in Santiago del Estero, 30 percent in Chaco, and 15 percent in Santa Fe. Cotton planting occurs from October through January. 

The key stages of flowering and boll formation occur in January, February, and March, when rainfall was below average in the main producing provinces. In addition to the dryness, there were periods of excessive heat during boll formation, which also lowered yield. Harvest has begun and early harvest data indicates below-average yield. 

(For more information, please contact Katie.McGaughey@usda.gov.)