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Cotton market has been a sore spot for Arkansas farmer

An Arkansas farmer says he’s extremely disappointed in the cotton market.

Derek Haigwood says all signs have been pointing to higher prices.  “All the headlines were ‘horrible Texas cotton crop’ last year, COVID supply chains shutting down purchases of cotton,” he says.  “And I’m just really disappointed the cotton price did not go up.  I held it and held it and held it.”

He tells Brownfield the market is telling farmers to plant different crops in 2023, but they’ll still have to keep some acres.  “But cotton is not a crop you grow with a lot of flexibility,” he says. “Because you buy a million-dollar cotton picker, you can’t put a corn head on it, it’s only good for cotton.  We’re going to have to plant it, we’ve got to use the equipment that we’ve got.  But we really would like to see prices in the 90s for December cotton.”

Haigwood raises corn, soybeans, rice, and cotton in northeast Arkansas.

AUDIO: Derek Haigwood, Arkansas farmer