Louisiana Cotton Price — USDA NASS Monthly & MYA Data
Louisiana Cotton price reached $0.63/lb in March 2026 — about $0.01/lb above the US average of $0.62/lb. Monthly price received by producers, sourced directly from USDA NASS.
Cotton monthly price trend
Louisiana vs the US average, last 24 months of USDA NASS data
| Month | Louisiana price | US average |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-01 | $0.63/lb | $0.60/lb |
| 2020-02 | $0.61/lb | $0.61/lb |
| 2020-10 | $0.64/lb | $0.60/lb |
| 2020-11 | $0.64/lb | $0.63/lb |
| 2020-12 | $0.66/lb | $0.66/lb |
| 2021-02 | $0.74/lb | $0.73/lb |
| 2021-10 | $0.75/lb | $0.84/lb |
| 2021-11 | $0.84/lb | $0.86/lb |
| 2021-12 | $0.93/lb | $0.88/lb |
| 2022-10 | $0.82/lb | $0.86/lb |
| 2022-11 | $0.97/lb | $0.80/lb |
| 2023-01 | $0.81/lb | $0.81/lb |
| 2023-10 | $0.78/lb | $0.76/lb |
| 2023-11 | $0.65/lb | $0.68/lb |
| 2023-12 | $0.80/lb | $0.74/lb |
| 2024-02 | $0.84/lb | $0.78/lb |
| 2024-05 | $0.83/lb | $0.85/lb |
| 2024-07 | $0.87/lb | $0.87/lb |
| 2024-12 | $0.63/lb | $0.63/lb |
| 2025-01 | $0.65/lb | $0.62/lb |
| 2025-02 | $0.64/lb | $0.63/lb |
| 2025-03 | $0.64/lb | $0.62/lb |
| 2025-12 | $0.58/lb | $0.58/lb |
| 2026-01 | $0.57/lb | $0.61/lb |
| 2026-02 | $0.63/lb | $0.60/lb |
| 2026-03 | $0.63/lb | $0.62/lb |
How Louisiana compares
Top Cotton-producing states, March 2026 price
| State | Price | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $0.66/lb | +6.5% |
| North Carolina | $0.647/lb | +4.4% |
| Louisiana | $0.626/lb | +1% |
| Tennessee | $0.615/lb | -0.8% |
| Texas | $0.596/lb | -3.9% |
What this price means for Louisiana Cotton farmers
Louisiana cotton prices reached 0.618 dollars per pound in March 2026, matching the national US average exactly, which means local basis factors such as transportation costs and elevator competition are not creating any meaningful spread from the broader market at this time. That alignment with the national benchmark is worth noting, because state-level deviations from the US average typically reflect logistical realities rather than any difference in fiber quality from Louisiana fields. Looking back at the prior marketing year, however, the picture is less favorable: the finalized marketing-year-average price was 0.645 dollars per pound, and this year's preliminary MYA sits at 0.589 dollars per pound, a decline of roughly 0.06 dollars per pound year over year. The recent monthly trend does show a modest recovery, climbing from 0.588 in December 2025 to 0.618 by March 2026, but prices remain well below where they stood in early 2025, when February and March of that year came in near 0.641 to 0.642 dollars per pound.
When making marketing and selling decisions, it is important to distinguish between acting on a single monthly price print and planning annual revenue around the marketing-year-average. A forward contract negotiated off the current March 2026 print of 0.618 dollars per pound locks in today's value and can make sense if you believe prices will soften further, but it represents a snapshot that may not reflect where the season ultimately settles. For annual revenue budgeting, the MYA is the correct figure to use, because it averages price realizations across all months of the marketing year and smooths out the volatility that any one monthly reading can distort. With this year's preliminary MYA at 0.589 dollars per pound and trending below last year's finalized 0.645, producers should stress-test their cost-of-production budgets against the lower figure before assuming recent monthly gains will hold through the remainder of the season.
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Frequently asked questions — Louisiana Cotton price
Why does the Louisiana cotton price of $0.618/lb match the US average exactly in March 2026?
Louisiana's reported price of $0.618/lb reflects a basis of $0.00/lb relative to the national average, meaning local gin prices, transportation costs, and regional supply-demand conditions aligned precisely with the broader US market that month. Basis can shift from month to month as harvest volumes, export demand from Gulf ports, and local ginning capacity change, so this parity is not guaranteed in future reporting periods. Louisiana farmers should continue monitoring the state-vs-national spread to identify periods when local premiums or discounts emerge.
What is the difference between Louisiana's March 2026 cotton price of $0.618/lb and the marketing-year-average price of $0.589/lb?
The $0.618/lb figure is the USDA-reported monthly price received by Louisiana producers for March 2026, while the $0.589/lb marketing-year-average (MYA) reflects the weighted average price across the entire cotton marketing year, which runs August through July. The MYA incorporates months with lower prices earlier in the season, pulling the season-long average below the most recent monthly print. Farmers using forward contracts or crop insurance revenue calculations should use the MYA as their baseline rather than a single monthly observation to get a more accurate picture of realized season income.
How frequently does USDA update Louisiana cotton price data, and when can I expect the next release?
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) publishes state-level prices received for cotton on a monthly basis through its Agricultural Prices report, typically released on the last business day of the following month. This means the March 2026 Louisiana figure would have become available in late April 2026, and the April 2026 data would follow in late May 2026. Farmers should bookmark the NASS release calendar to ensure they are using the most current data when making merchandising or storage decisions.
How can Louisiana cotton producers use the $0.618/lb price alongside yield data to estimate gross revenue per acre?
Multiply the reported price of $0.618/lb by your expected or realized lint yield in pounds per acre—for example, a Louisiana average of roughly 900 lb/acre would project gross lint revenue of approximately $556/acre at that price. Comparing this estimate against your cost of production per acre gives a quick profitability check before committing to a cash sale or forward contract. Pairing the MYA price of $0.589/lb with season-total yield provides a more conservative revenue estimate that better reflects full-season marketing rather than a single month's favorable price.