Cotton is currently the regions most profitable crop grown in the field; however it is known as a crop grown only by rich farmers.  This is because cotton demands very good and deep soil conditions, for its taproot to reach up to 2metres deep.  It also has approximately 4 times the production costs of soya beans; and as a result most of the regions farmers cannot afford to grow it.  However for those who can grow cotton (generally on non-irrigated land) have doubled their returns over the input costs.

To get the soils fertility and nutrient levels sufficient for growing cotton successfully on dry land (not irrigated) generally takes 5 years of fertilization, crop rotation and enhancement of biological and biochemical activities in the soil.  However this period can be reduced to 2-3 years on well farmed irrigated land as there is year round soil use and moisture, resulting in both above and below ground growth, not only for the wet season.

Having created the suitable soil for the cotton to grow in, it is planted and grown over an approximate 140 day period, harvest starts at the beginning of the dry season. Harvest is from May through July and the gins are generally finished working by November.  The production costs are high, although this is all relative to overall profit.

Western Bahia is known for growing high quality cotton, most of which is sold on the domestic market to merchants or direct to the factories in Brazils industrialized North Eastern States.  Some is however sold direct to mills and merchants in China and other parts of Asia.

Bahia has the potential to become Brazil’s premier cotton producing region if planted areas continue to grow as they have been over the last decade, this is dependent upon continued growth of soil profiles and the high returns from the cotton continuing.

There are more and more gins appearing in the region as the farmers are producing more cotton and are able to refine the raw product to a more valuable and saleable commodity.