USDA estimates Greece’s 2020/21 cotton production at 283,000 tonnes (1.3 million 480-pound bales), down 0.15 million bales from last month (10 percent), down 83.000 tonnes (0.38 million bales) from last year (22 percent).

Harvested area is estimated at 0.26 million hectares (mha), down 0.01 mha from last month, down 0.025 mha from last year, but 8 percent above the 5-year average of 0.24 mha. Yield is estimated at 1,089 kilograms per hectare, down 7 percent from last month, down 15 percent from last year, and down 5 percent below the 5-year average.

Rainfall in central Greece

An uncommon occurrence of a Mediterranean hurricane, or medicane, made landfall on September 18th and impacted central Greece with flooding rains on September 19th, just prior to the cotton harvest. The cotton crop took a direct hit by Medicane Ianos in the large production regions of Thessaly and Lamia. While 1 to 2 inches of rain were widespread, unofficial rainfall gauges in cotton areas of western Thessaly recorded 5 to 6 inches of rainfall in 24 hours. Area and yield are therefore estimated lower due to flooding losses and rain damage.

Lower yield due to early-harvested cotton

While some farmers anticipated Ianos’s destruction and reportedly harvested their crops early, this was the exception. In addition, any early-harvested cotton would likely have lower yield because the harvest was premature. Quality will also be lowered as the crop’s important color metric will have been reduced by the detrimental September weather.

Source: USDA, World Agricultural Production, October 2020

Bremen Cotton Exchange – Bremen Cotton Report, 41-42/2020