Today, state and industry experts note California's Upland, Acala and extra long staple Pima cottons have a reputation as the best in the world. The specially bred and regulated Acala variety of upland cotton is woven into Arrow and Van Heusen shirts, Land's End clothing, Fieldcrest sheets and towels, sewing thread and Japanese underwear. Annual U.S. production is between 15 and 20 million bales. California is usually the second highest producing state, with about 3.0 million bales annually on just over one million acres. Yield of 1,200 pounds per acre is not uncommon, compared to average U.S. yield of 615 pounds.
Acreage varies, but is about one million in a typical year.
An annual crop, cotton is planted in March through April and harvested in September through November. In California, about 1.4 billion pounds will be produced in a typical year. Upland Acalas are recognized by textile mills as having very strong, long fibers of consistent, high quality. Consequently, California cotton usually sells at a premium to other U.S. cotton varieties. Of the 3.0 million bales produced each year, at least 80 percent is exported, primarily to Pacific Rim countries.