Posted 2/6/24

Cotton was once the primary crop in the southernmost regions of the southeast United States, however, Tennessee now wears the cotton crown, with cotton the #3 agricultural product coming out of the Volunteer State.

And while the crop is still a major contributor to the economies of Mississippi, Alabama and other southern states, Tennessee is the only state expected to grow the number of acres planted with cotton, according to a report from cottongrower.com.

The most productive area of the state can be found in West and Middle Tennessee, primarily in the region stretching from the Mississippi River to I-24 and just north of the Alabama state line.

The top five cotton-producing counties for Tennessee are Haywood, Crockett, Lauderdale, Fayette and Gibson, counties in West Tennessee responsible for 56% of Tennessee’s total cotton acres planted. Tennessee generally produces between 200,000-350,000 acres of cotton.

Cotton planting in Tennessee begins in April followed by harvesting in October.

The current price of cotton is around 85 cents per pound, with demand being the main driver in determining price.

Assuming an 85-cent price, and with one acre of cotton yielding 1,236 pounds and 265,000 acres planted in cotton in 2023, the sale of Tennessee cotton in 2023 generated $278 million.