Arkansas Cotton Price — USDA NASS Monthly & MYA Data
Arkansas Cotton price reached $0.59/lb in February 2026 — $0.01/lb below the US average of $0.60/lb. Monthly price received by producers, sourced directly from USDA NASS.
Cotton monthly price trend
Arkansas vs the US average, last 24 months of USDA NASS data
| Month | Arkansas price | US average |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-01 | $0.62/lb | $0.60/lb |
| 2020-02 | $0.63/lb | $0.61/lb |
| 2020-10 | $0.64/lb | $0.60/lb |
| 2020-11 | $0.66/lb | $0.63/lb |
| 2020-12 | $0.68/lb | $0.66/lb |
| 2021-03 | $0.74/lb | $0.70/lb |
| 2021-11 | $0.70/lb | $0.86/lb |
| 2022-06 | $1.10/lb | $0.98/lb |
| 2022-11 | $0.64/lb | $0.80/lb |
| 2022-12 | $0.72/lb | $0.85/lb |
| 2023-01 | $0.69/lb | $0.81/lb |
| 2023-03 | $0.91/lb | $0.83/lb |
| 2023-05 | $0.89/lb | $0.86/lb |
| 2024-05 | $0.85/lb | $0.85/lb |
| 2024-07 | $0.87/lb | $0.87/lb |
| 2025-01 | $0.62/lb | $0.62/lb |
| 2025-04 | $0.63/lb | $0.64/lb |
| 2025-05 | $0.65/lb | $0.64/lb |
| 2025-08 | $0.58/lb | $0.57/lb |
| 2026-01 | $0.62/lb | $0.61/lb |
| 2026-02 | $0.59/lb | $0.60/lb |
How Arkansas compares
Top Cotton-producing states, February 2026 price
| State | Price | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $0.652/lb | +9.4% |
| Louisiana | $0.625/lb | +4.9% |
| North Carolina | $0.609/lb | +2.2% |
| Arkansas | $0.588/lb | -1.3% |
| Texas | $0.579/lb | -2.9% |
| Tennessee | $0.575/lb | -3.5% |
What this price means for Arkansas Cotton farmers
Arkansas cotton growers received 0.584 dollars per pound in February 2026, sitting about one cent below the national average of 0.597 dollars per pound for the same month. That modest gap is typical and largely reflects state-level basis factors — transportation costs to inland gins and ports, local elevator competition, and regional contract structures — rather than any difference in fiber quality. Looking further back, the current marketing-year-average price of 0.592 dollars per pound trails last year's finalized MYA of 0.631 dollars per pound by roughly four cents, a meaningful step down that signals softer market conditions heading into the next planting season.
For marketing and selling decisions, it is important not to treat any single monthly print as a reliable anchor. The February figure of 0.584 dollars per pound reflects one snapshot in a price series that ranged from 0.514 dollars in January 2026 to 0.653 dollars as recently as May 2025, illustrating how much month-to-month volatility can distort the picture. If you are evaluating a forward contract, compare the offered price against recent monthly trends to judge timing, but build your annual revenue projections around the marketing-year-average of 0.592 dollars per pound, since that figure smooths the seasonal swings and gives a truer picture of what the crop will actually return across the full selling window. Locking in a contract based on a single high or low month without that MYA context can lead to either missed opportunity or misplaced confidence in your breakeven math.
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Frequently asked questions — Arkansas Cotton price
Why is the Arkansas cotton price of $0.584/lb lower than the US average of $0.597/lb in February 2026?
The $0.013/lb gap between Arkansas and the national average reflects the local basis, which accounts for regional factors such as distance to export terminals, local gin capacity, and supply-demand conditions specific to the Mid-South market. Arkansas cotton must typically be transported to Gulf Coast ports, and transportation and handling costs can compress the farm-level price relative to the national composite. Understanding this basis differential helps Arkansas growers evaluate whether to sell locally or explore alternative marketing channels.
What is the difference between the Arkansas February 2026 monthly price of $0.584/lb and the marketing-year-average price of $0.592/lb?
The monthly price of $0.584/lb represents what Arkansas cotton producers received specifically during February 2026, while the marketing-year-average (MYA) of $0.592/lb is a weighted average across all months of the marketing year, reflecting the blend of prices realized throughout the entire season. The MYA is the figure USDA uses for crop insurance indemnity calculations and policy program references, making it critical for farm financial planning. If February prices are running below the MYA, it may suggest stronger prices earlier in the marketing year pulled the season average higher.
How frequently does USDA update Arkansas cotton price data, and where does this data originate?
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) releases monthly state-level cotton prices as part of the Agricultural Prices report, typically published near the end of the following month. The data is collected through surveys of cotton producers and handlers across Arkansas, making each monthly release a revision-eligible estimate until the final marketing-year figures are published. Farmers and agronomists should check for revisions each month, as updated survey responses can cause small adjustments to previously reported figures.
How can I use the Arkansas cotton price of $0.584/lb alongside yield data to estimate my per-acre revenue?
To estimate gross revenue per acre, multiply your expected or actual lint yield in pounds per acre by the $0.584/lb price; for example, a yield of 1,200 lbs/acre would project roughly $700.80/acre in gross lint revenue. For a full-season estimate, using the MYA price of $0.592/lb instead of the single monthly figure provides a more representative revenue projection because it smooths out month-to-month price fluctuations across the marketing year. Comparing this revenue estimate against your cost of production helps determine breakeven yields and informs decisions about forward contracting or holding cotton in storage.