Regions of U.S. Cotton Production 

(From 21,100 square miles of farmland in 17 states springs Upland and American Pima cotton—diverse, top quality fiber to fit any customer’s needs.)


Upland cotton is grown in the U.S. in four major geographic areas: the Southeast, Mid-South, Southwest and West, collectively called the Cotton Belt.

The Southeastern growing area includes the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. This region’s production averages about 22 percent of the total Upland production. Planting is from early April to early June. The average staple length is 34.1 thirty-seconds of an inch. Harvest generally runs from late September to early December.

About 34 percent of the total Upland crop is grown in the Mid-South, which spans the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Planting begins in mid-April and continues through early June. The average staple length is 34.7 thirty-seconds of an inch. Harvest occurs from early September to early December.

The Southwest region is comprised of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. This region accounts for about 35 percent of the Upland crop. The average staple length is 36 thirty-seconds of an inch. Planting in south Texas begins in late February, with harvesting running from late July until mid-September. In the rest of the region, planting begins in mid-April and harvest lasts from mid-October through December.

The states of Arizona, California and New Mexico comprise the West region, which accounts for about 9 percent of total Upland production. The average staple length is 36.6 thirty-seconds of an inch. Planting begins in early April and is usually completed by early June. Harvest runs from late September through early December.