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Barry Nelson: Pima cotton farmers – Making more money with less water

Posted by: Maven on February 2, 2010 at 8:23 am

From Barry Nelson at the NRDC Switchboard blog:

“I just came across an interesting article from the San Diego Union-Tribune about a bold shift taking place among California farmers that has been largely overlooked. Acala cotton, long known as King Cotton in the Central Valley, is losing its market share.

Instead of growing traditional, federally-subsidized acala cotton with heavily subsidized water, some farmers are planting premium quality Pima–a variety that attracts a higher price but is ineligible for subsidies.

Pima can draw as much as 25 cents more per pound than generic acala. According to the Union-Tribune, in 2008, California farmers planted 151,000 acres of Pima at a value of $227 million, versus 127,000 acres of acala which only brought in $100 million.

But the most impressive trend is away from cotton altogether. Overall acreage planted in cotton is down dramatically in the past decade, as growers turn to higher value crops like processing tomatoes. The drought is one reason for this change. However, several simultaneous developments show that a new way of thinking is emerging in the agricultural community. … “

Continue reading Barry Nelson’s post at the NRDC Switchboard blog by clicking here.

February 2, 2010 · Filed Under Agriculture

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