Cotton picking starts following mixed season

Cotton picking kicked off in central Queensland recently, with the first crops producing average results in what is shaping up to be a steady season despite mixed conditions.

Picking has also gotten underway in the Brisbane Valley.

Other growers in the Central Highlands will begin picking their earlier planted crops over the coming weeks, while picking is expected to get underway in the Dawson and Callide Valley in late February.

Other regions will follow as conditions allow, with most valleys to begin picking in April, having planted from late September through to early October under warm conditions and good soil moisture.

Cotton Australia chief executive officer Adam Kay said weather has been a key driver of outlook this season.

“Conditions have been mostly warm and favourable, but rainfall has been uneven,” Mr Kay said.

“Some valleys have received useful storm rain, while others have remained dry, with dryland crops particularly affected.

“Water availability is emerging as a constraint in parts of New South Wales, with some irrigated crops likely to be tight for final irrigations and dryland crops increasingly reliant on late rainfall.”

Mr Kay said the recent heatwaves across northern NSW and southern Queensland will test crops over the coming weeks and may influence final yield potential.

Despite varying conditions across cotton growing regions, the 2025-26 crop is still predicted to produce around 4.4 million bales.

In northern NSW, irrigated crops have strong retention, supported by reasonable dam levels, while dryland crops face a tougher finish where rainfall has been missed.

Southern valleys started more slowly but have improved with warmer conditions, although reduced plantings and water availability remain longer-term challenges.

Queensland crops are generally well-advanced, with many areas slightly ahead of last season and picking expected from late April.

In Northern Australia, wet season conditions have created some uncertainty with reduced planted area and variable establishment, but crops remain in the ground across all regions.

More than 450,000 green hectares of cotton has been planted this season, predominantly in New South Wales and Queensland, with some in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Mr Kay said this year’s crop is predicted to generate more than $2.9 billion for the Australian economy.

“This will flow back into the 249 rural and regional communities that directly benefit from the cotton industry, supporting local jobs and local economies,” he said.