Crop reference
Cotton yield per acre
Start with a crop-level reference, then test whether your soil, climate, water supply and management can support it. This page does not predict the yield of a specific field.
Reference yield
2025 USDA ERS regional benchmark range — United States
585–1310 pounds/acre
= 0.27–0.59 t/acre
Range across the published Farm Resource Regions shown below. It is not a national average or a field forecast.
AgriAuditor global reference per acre
0.38 t/acre
Same global reference per hectare
0.95 t/ha
Official U.S. regional benchmarks
USDA Economic Research Service estimates keep their original unit, pounds per planted acre, with the tonne conversion shown above for comparison. They describe United States production regions, not your county or field. ERS projects these from a 2019 base survey, so the reference year is not the survey year.
| Farm Resource Region | Reference year | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Portal | 2025 | 1310 pounds/acre(0.59 t/acre) |
| Heartland | 2025 | 1269 pounds/acre(0.58 t/acre) |
| Fruitful Rim | 2025 | 1214 pounds/acre(0.55 t/acre) |
| Southern Seaboard | 2025 | 1167 pounds/acre(0.53 t/acre) |
| Eastern Uplands | 2025 | 1155 pounds/acre(0.52 t/acre) |
| Prairie Gateway | 2025 | 585 pounds/acre(0.27 t/acre) |
| U.S. total | 2025 | 931 pounds/acre(0.42 t/acre) |
Retrieved 28 August 2026 from the official ERS cotton cost-and-return file. Read the full USDA cost and break-even report or check the official ERS source.
What can move cotton yield?
Compare the crop profile with field evidence before using the reference in a budget or planting decision.
- Ideal soil pH
- 5.8 - 8
- Seasonal water requirement
- 700 mm / season
- Optimal temperature
- 22 - 36 °C
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Intolerant
- Nitrogen demand
- Moderate
These requirements still omit cultivar choice, planting date, stand establishment, pests, disease, nutrient timing, harvest losses and local market specifications. Treat the reference as a starting assumption that needs local evidence.
Move from crop average to your field
Run a coordinate-level screen to compare cotton with mapped soil, climate, water and risk conditions. Then confirm material decisions with field measurements and qualified local advice.
Run a land and crop auditQuestions about the reference
What is the reference cotton yield per acre?
The AgriAuditor crop profile shows 0.38 t/acre, equivalent to 0.95 t/ha. This is a global reference average across producing countries, not a United States figure and not a forecast for a specific field. Where shown, the USDA range beside it describes US Farm Resource Regions and can differ substantially.
Is 0.38 t/acre guaranteed on my land?
No. Variety, soil, temperature, rainfall, irrigation, nutrient availability, pests, disease, management and the growing season can move actual yield above or below the reference.
Why can local yield differ from the reference?
A crop average does not contain your field coordinates or measurements. Local soil constraints, water supply, weather extremes, planting date and management determine how much of the crop potential is realised.
How can I estimate yield for a specific field?
Run a coordinate-level AgriAuditor screen, then replace mapped estimates with soil tests, field records, local trials and advice from a qualified local agronomist before making a material decision.
Compare other crop yield references
Method and data scope: read AgriAuditor methodology and limitations.