Nov 20, 2023
Farmers in Mato Grosso May Plant Cotton Instead of Replanting Soy
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
A very unusual situation is developing in Mato Grosso due to an extended period of hot and dry weather that severely impacted the newly planted soybeans. For some farmers who had intended to plant a second crop of cotton after soybeans, now must decide whether to replant their soybeans or switch from soybeans to cotton instead.
Mato Grosso is Brazil's largest cotton producing state and generally 10-13% of the cotton in the state is grown as a full-season crop that is planted starting in early December. The remainder of the cotton is planted in January after the first crop of soybeans are harvested. Cotton acreage in Mato Grosso is expected to increase 8% this year to 1.3 million hectares.
The director of the Cotton Producers Association of Mato Grosso (Ampa) estimated that the full-season cotton acreage this year may account for up to 20% of the state's cotton crop due to the switching from soybeans to cotton.
If the switch from soybeans to full-season cotton occurs, it could result in a reduction of 100-130,000 hectares of soybeans in Mato Grosso.