Cotton producers face an uncertain market future as demand for cotton and cotton products, like apparel, tumbled due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and economic recession, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.
John Robinson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension cotton marketing specialist, College Station, said cotton and the industries that touch it are sliding alongside the economy.
Retail apparel sales numbers dropped 79% from March to April, Robinson said.
Two contributing factors have been bad for sales of retail apparel and trickled down to cotton markets, Robinson said.
First, shelteringin-place mandates meant stores closed and people were not making retail pur chases, Robinson said.
Second, gross ...