USDA’s March Prospective Plantings Report indicates US producers intend to plant 10.03 million acres of cotton in ’13, down 18.6% from the previous year. Upland area is projected to be 9.82 million acres, down 18.7% from ’12 while extra-long staple (ELS) area is projected at 206,000 acres, a 13.6% decrease.

The NCC’s planting intentions survey, released in early February, indicated US farmers intend to plant 8.81 million acres of upland cotton and 203,000 acres of ELS.

In the West, California producers intend to plant 90,000 acres of upland cotton, down 36.6% from last year. Arizona and New Mexico plantings also are down when compared to the previous year with plantings estimated at 160,000 and 30,000 acres, respectively.

ELS plantings are projected to decrease 13.6% to 206,000 acres. The largest decline in actual ELS acres will be in California (-35,000 acres).

The largest acreage decrease is expected to be seen in the Southwest in Texas where producers intend to plant 5.50 million acres (-1.05 million acres). Kansas and Oklahoma also are expected to decrease their upland acres in ’13-14 with plantings estimated at 40,000 acres and 160,000 acres, respectively.

Projected upland area in the Southeast of 2.58 million acres represents a 6.1% decrease from the previous year. Almost all of the region’s states intend to decrease cotton acreage in ’13. Only Florida and Georgia intend to increase cotton acreage when compared to the previous year. Floridaintends to plant 115,000 acres, a 6.5% increase, and Georgia intends to plant 1.30 million acres, a 0.8% increase. The largest percentage decrease is expected in Virginia (-24.4%). The largest decline in actual acres will be in North Carolina (-135,000 acres).

In the Mid-South, projected plantings of 1.26 million acres represent a 37.9% decrease. All the region’s states are expecting to plant fewer acres this year. The largest percentage acreage decreases are expected in Arkansas and Mississippi, -54.6% and -43.2%, respectively, with the greatest decline in actual acres in Arkansas, down 325,000 acres.