Cotton crop in Arkansas declining, reversal seen

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) — Despite a steep decline in the Arkansas cotton crop in recent years, an agricultural agronomist believes the drop has neared its bottom and said more acres are expected to be planted in cotton in the future.

Arkansas had just below 300,000 acres planted in cotton in 2013 to break the previous record low of 320,000 acres planted in 1983, with analysts saying the rising profitability and yields of corn and soybeans resulted in those crops taking acres once planted in cotton.