Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 6/8/20


Not all farms grow food.  Fiber is another important component of North Carolina’s agricultural economy.  Cotton is NC’s second-largest cash crop with over a half-million acres grown each year.  It’s a high risk, high reward crop. A grower’s success hinges on international markets, weather windows, and other factors that drive planting decisions.  NC State Crop and Soil Sciences Extension offers agronomic decision tools to help growers navigate their way to success. 

Cotton is often part of a crop rotation or diversified farm plan and is heavily dependent on infrastructure. Proximity to a gin is essential to process the harvested lint and access global markets. Overall, cotton can be expensive to grow, with 25-30% of the total production cost invested at planting, primarily from seed cost.  

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