Cotton picking is well underway across most cotton growing regions in Australia, with favourable dry conditions supporting strong progress.

Across Queensland and northern NSW, most growers are now in full swing. While picking for earlier planted cotton began in February for the Central Highlands and Brisbane valleys, most early picking throughout the Dawson and Callide, Darling Downs, Macintyre, Gwydir and Namoi valleys got underway a few weeks ago. The bulk of growers started picking over Easter and are expected to finish in May if it remains dry.

Picking in the Macquarie Valley began around Warren over Easter, while the Narromine/Trangie areas, as well as southern NSW valleys are expected to start after Anzac Day.

The hot, dry weather has been ideal for defoliation, providing a good run through picking for all areas.

Early yields have been strong, particularly in the Gwydir Valley, where some growers are reporting up to 17 bales per hectare. Dryland crops, however, have been down on last year due to the very dry season, with reports suggesting averages of around two to three bales in the north.

Irrigated yields are between 11 and 16 bales per hectare for the earlier planted cotton in the Darling Downs, around Miles and Condamine, with variance due to the 200mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period in early March, resulting in some waterlogging. Dryland yields are averaging about 4 to 4.5 bales. Picking on the Western Downs will mostly be finished by mid-April, while it’s only just underway around Brookstead-Pampas and South Burnett.

In the Macquarie Valley, early yields are averaging about 13.5/14 bales, with growers north of Warren getting between 13 and 14.5 bales while south of Warren it’s closer to 15 bales per hectare. Overall, it’s expected yields will be similar to last year.

The Brisbane Valley is experiencing good yields of between 8 to 12 bales for irrigated crops and up to 6 for dryland, while yields are ranging from 7 to 12 bales in the Dawson and Callide valleys. Yields and fibre quality have been impacted by significant rainfall in early March in some areas in the Dawson and Callide valleys, while other parts are expected to perform similar to last year. The season up north is shaping up to be long and drawn-out, with some growers forecast to be picking into June.

While it’s too early to determine quality in the Macquarie Valley, the dry end to the season has so far been favourable in northern NSW and Queensland, compared to the wet finish last year when water damage resulted in discounts in quality.

In comparison, northern Australia has had a wet start to the season which is expected to negatively impact both yield and quality, particularly in the Northern Territory when picking begins in late May or June. In the Ord Valley, wet conditions also created challenges during planting which has recently finished, reducing the overall area planted for the 2026 crop from initial estimates.

Cotton prices have lifted, currently sitting at around $580 which is an improvement on prices last month.

16 April 2026