FACTS
ABOUT CALIFORNIA COTTON
Cotton
is grown primarily in the San Joaquin Valley, but some acreage is also
grown in the Imperial Valley, the Palos Verde Valley, and more recently
has even made a return to the Sacramento Valley.
California's cotton
production approximates 1.5 million bales annually from approximately
550,000 acres. This represents about 4 of the U.S. total plantings of
cotton and about 10% to 14% of the total U.S. yearly production.
California's cotton acreage also represents the 2nd largest planted
acreage of any crop in the state.
In 2003, 1.5 million bales of upland cotton were produced on
550,000 acres in California and 360,000 bales of extra long staple
pima cotton were produced on approximately 150,000 acres.
California's pima cotton production represented 90% of the U.S.
total production.
In 1963, there were
299 active cotton gins in California, the highest ever.
In 2006, there were 61 active gins.
Although the numbers are declining, the capacities and
efficiencies of the remaining facilities are being increased
accordingly.
A full size bale of
cotton lint weighs approximately 500 pounds and stands about 41/2
ft.
high. A typical bale can
produce as many as 8000 handkerchiefs, or 3400 pairs of socks, or 750
shirts, or 3000 diapers, or 325 pairs of jeans, or 200 full size bed
sheets to name a few examples.
Approximately 600,000 tons
of cottonseed is produced annually in California.
Over 95% is fed to dairy cattle and the balance is crushed for
the oil. Cottonseed when crushed produces many byproducts which are
common in everyday use. Linters,
which is the fuzz left on the seed after ginning, are used for such
items as dynamite, filler
in gun powder, mops, cotton balls, automotive upholstery, fine writing
paper and currency. Cellulose,
which is the principal component of the cotton fiber, when extracted
from the linters is used to make food casing,
paint, toothpaste, and plastics for windshields, tool handles,
x-ray film, just to name a few. Cottonseed
hulls are mainly used for animal feed.
Cottonseed Oil is used for cooking oil, salad dressing,
cosmetics, soap, and as a carrier for agricultural sprays (no VOC).
The cottonseed meal and cake is used for fertilizers and feed
for cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, fish and shrimp.
The average 725 lbs of seed realized from enough seed cotton to
produce one 500# bale of cotton lint will produce enough oil to cook
nearly 6,000 snack sized bags of potato chips.
The California cotton
industry directly provides for over 20,000 jobs on farms, in gins,
warehouses, cottonseed oil mills, and textile mills.
In addition to the direct industry employment, when employment
related to the value added goods and service of cotton's domestic and
export trade, it is estimated that cotton accounts for an additional
137,000 jobs in California. Revenues
generated in the form of products and services by this industry to
California's economy is in excess of $3.5 billion dollars annually.
Approximately 80% to 85% of California's high quality cotton lint is
exported each year, principally to Pacific Rim countries.
The value of California cotton exports including lint,
cottonseed and other products approximates $1.0 billion dollars
annually.
