Arkansas gin numbers hold steady on smaller 2025 cotton crop
May 19, 2026
By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Arkansas is nation’s No. 3 cotton grower
- 2026 acres could be lowest since 2017
(535 words)
JONESBORO, Ark. — Arkansas was still the No. 3 cotton producer in the United States in 2025 despite growing fewer acres than the previous year, and this year, farmers may grow the smallest number of cotton acres in nearly a decade.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service this week issued a number of cotton-related reports, including the Cotton Ginnings Annual Summary and Crop Production and County Estimates for Cotton.
“The 2025 Arkansas state average yield came in at 1,239 pounds per acre, the fourth highest yield on record for Arkansas and slightly below the five-year average of 1,250 pounds per acre,” said Scott Stiles, extension economics program associate for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. The 2025 yield was 102 pounds below the 2024 record yield of 1,341 pounds.
![Arkansas Cotton Acreage and Active Gins[75]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55268006558_dd793d9451_n.jpg)
In NASS’s county estimates, several of Arkansas’ southeastern counties averaged above 1,300 pounds, as did Poinsett County. Counties in the central part of the state had yields ranging from 1,120 to 1,220 pounds.
From NASS' March Prospective Plantings Report, Arkansas producers are expected to plant 470,000 acres of cotton in 2026.
“That is down 10 percent, or 50,000 acres, from last year,” said Stiles. “This acreage estimate seemed high in early March.
However, “since March 1, cotton prices have climbed from about 69 cents to 87 cents — the highest level since October 2023 for the December futures contract,” he said. “Recent conversations with growers would indicate the 470,000-acre estimate is certainly a possibility.
“Will prices in the mid-80s keep cotton acres fairly stable? We won’t know until the June 30 Acreage Report,” Stiles said.
Cotton was 66 percent planted as of May 17, up from 40 percent the previous week and well ahead of the five-year average.
A mixed bag
Last year, Arkansas cotton acreage was down 130,000 acres, or 20 percent, for a total of 520,000 acres.
The 2025 growing season was a mixed bag.
“We had so much rain during planting last year that we had replants and late plants that caused planting season to extend into June, which is not something we were overly excited about,” said Zachary Treadway, extension cotton agronomist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
“After we got the crop in, the rain shut off and we had hot days and nights, which is not ideal for a cotton crop,” he said. “We rebounded with kind weather during harvest, and the gulf stayed quiet and allowed us to get the crop out in a timely manner.”
Treadway said yields weren’t even across the state.
“I had producers in southeast Arkansas make a bumper crop, and I had producers in northeast Arkansas struggle to make two bales,” he said.
NASS also posts an annual report on U.S. cotton gins.
In Arkansas, “we ran the same number of gins in 2025 as the previous year, which was 26,” Stiles said. “Gin volume in 2025 was down 528,700 bales, or 27 percent, on lower acreage and yields”
The total number of bales ginned in the state was 1,421,950 compared to 1,950,650 in 2024.
Arkansas ranks behind Texas and Georgia in U.S. cotton production.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land-grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Nick Kordsmeier
Nkordsme@uada.edu