Brazil increases cotton production as demand grows

Farmers in Brazil's Bahia state, part of the Matopiba agricultural frontier, are increasingly turning to cotton, reducing corn cultivation in favor of the fibre. Following a record-breaking season, where Brazil surpassed the US to become the world's largest cotton exporter, Bahia plans a 9.5 per cent increase in cotton acreage, reaching 379,000 hectares for the new crop.

The expansion is driven by favorable climatic conditions in Bahia's ‘cerrado’ region, characterized by distinct wet and dry periods, ideal for cotton growth. Agricola Schmidt, a major farming group in the region, is reducing soybean acreage to allocate more space for cotton, citing China’s stable soy demand and cotton’s higher profitability. The rise in cotton production is a sign of Brazil's growing influence in the global cotton market, mirroring its successes in soybeans, coffee, and sugar exports. Nationally, Brazil’s cotton area is projected to increase by 7.9 per cent to 2.15 million hectares, with a production estimate of 3.89 million tonnes, marking a 5.6 per cent rise. As cotton continues to outperform other crops, particularly corn, Brazil’s agricultural sector is poised to further cement its position as a global leader in fibre production.