Southwest cotton producers will add significant acreage in 2017, taking advantage of modest increases in markets and favorable moisture for spring planting across most of the region.

Texas acreage will increase from 5.65 million last year to 6.9 million in 2017, according to the latest USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates. Oklahoma acreage is expected to increase from 305,000 last year to 470,000. New Mexico anticipated acreage at 50,000 will be up from 47,000 last year, and Kansas farmers will plant 56,000 acres, up from 32,000 in 2016.

U.S. acreage is anticipated to be 12.2 million acres, up from 9.88 million in 2017 and the highest acreage in 11 years. U.S. production is anticipated to top 19 million bales.

The final USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service cotton production report for Texas shows a significant improvement from 2016.

Two districts, the Northern High Plains and the Southern High Plains, accounted for more than half of Texas’ 8.1 million bales of cotton produced in the 2016 season, according to the latest NASS report.

Those two districts combined to produce more than 5.1 million bales.

The Northern High Plains (District 11) produced 1.52 million bales last year from 734,500 harvested acres. The Southern High Plains (District 12) added 3.59 million bales from 2.6 million harvested acres. Harvested acres were up from 2015, significantly in District 11 with an increase from 427,000 acres. District 12 harvested acreage was up from 2.5 million. Abandonment was relatively minor for the 2016 crop. Planted acreage for District 11 was 847,500, while District 12 was 2.8 million acres planted in 2016.

Related:2017-18 U.S. cotton crop could be biggest in 11 years

BETTER YIELDS

Yield for District 11 averaged 996 pounds per acre, up from 621 pounds in 2015; District 12 average was 667 pounds, up from 599 pounds.

District 21, the Northern Low Plains, added 605,700 bales to the state total, and District 22, the Southern Low Plains, contributed 638,100 bales. Next highest production came from District 81, South Central, with 533,000 bales.

The 8.1 million bale production marked a significant improvement over the 2015 crop of 5.72 million bales.

Planted acreage for 2016, at 5.65 million, was up from 4.8 million in 2015. Harvested acreage showed similar trends both seasons with relatively small abandonment—4.5 million harvested in 2015 and 5.2 million taken to harvest in 2016.

Overall yield indicates a good growing season in 2016 with statewide average at 748 pounds per acre compared to 610 pounds in 2015.

Other notable production figures include 308,900 bales from the Lower Valley (District 97), 294,000 bales from the Edwards Plateau (District 70), and 209,200 bales from the Upper Coast (District 90).