Mexican Cotton Area Down
19 May 2006 The area planted to cotton in Mexico has contracted by 11.5% in the 2006/07 season to 115,000 hectares (Ha). The resultant drop in cotton production is expected to be around 1.5% to approximately 617,000 bales, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS).
The main reasons for the scaling back of the crop are two risks confronting growers. First, the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (SAGARPA) waited until late in the planting season to announce its Cotton Price Support Program for 2006/07. This caused enough uncertainty that many farmers switched crops or decided not to plant. Secondly, outbreaks of whitefly had growers nervous, especially in Sonora and Sinaloa, which were hit hard by the pest in 2005/06.
By state, planted areas in Mexico are expected to be as follows:
| Region | Area (Ha) |
| South Sonora | 1,800 |
| North Sonora | 1,000 |
| Mexicali, Baja California | 26,285 |
| Juarez, Chihuahua | 36,200 |
| Delicias, Chihuahua | 7,800 |
| Ojinaga & Aldama, Chihuahua | 16,000 |
| La Laguna, Coahuila & Durango | 22,000 |
| North Tamaulipas | 3,000 |
| TOTAL | 114,085 |
Source: Confederation of Mexican Cotton Associations
According to the Confederation of Mexican Cotton Associations (CMCA), 70,500 Ha of the cotton area were planted biotech varieties in 2005/06. For 2006/07, the area may only reach 50,000 Ha.
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