Technology lifts Bahia cotton output and crop value to record levels
Bahia produced 1.83 million tonnes of cotton in 2025, strengthening its position as Brazil’s second-largest producer. Genetics, precision farming and digital traceability are raising productivity and helped cotton overtake cocoa by production value in the state.
Cotton gains weight in Bahia’s farm economy
Bahia produced 1.83 million tonnes of cotton in 2025, according to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) reported by g1. The volume represented 18.5% of Brazil’s total output and confirmed Bahia as the country’s second-largest producing state. Production increased 23.2% from the previous year.
The expansion has also changed the crop’s position within Bahia’s agricultural economy. Cotton generated R$ 7.85 billion in production value in 2025, equivalent to 14.2% of the value created by the state’s agriculture. It overtook cocoa to become Bahia’s second-most valuable agricultural product, behind only soybeans.
The Bahia Cotton Producers Association (Abapa) expects the 2025/26 harvest to exceed 1 million tonnes, which would be the highest result recorded in the state under its forecast. About 80% of the crop had been harvested by 15 September, when the association presented the estimate. Producers are advocating the use of the Port of Salvador to move the record harvest.
Precision tools target productivity and costs
The production advance reflects both a larger planted area and improvements in genetics and field management. Satellite images, drones, sensors, weather stations, GPS systems and productivity maps now allow farms to identify variations within individual fields. Software can combine information on soil, weather and production history, enabling growers to treat affected zones instead of applying the same intervention across an entire property.
Drones are used to map planting failures, crop stress and differences in plant development. On a 500-hectare property, for example, imagery can locate a problem in only part of the field, allowing targeted application when supported by a technical recommendation. The equipment is also used for spraying and distributing products permitted for aerial operations.
Integrated pest management software records the location, species and development stage of pests. This supports more precise recommendations on pesticide choice, dosage and timing. The technology requires trained personnel who understand flight planning, weather, operational safety, application rates, droplet size, coverage and drift risks, rather than drone operation alone.
Genetics and traceability support market position
Genetic improvement has raised the productive potential of cotton varieties while adding traits linked to fibre quality, stability, adaptation and tolerance to pests and diseases. Mirian Nogueira, an agronomy professor at the Federal University of Western Bahia, said regional yields now average more than 300 arrobas per hectare, while some farms achieve 500 arrobas depending on management.
One variety cited by Nogueira, FiberMax FM 945STP, has an announced genetic potential of 406 arrobas per hectare of seed cotton. Actual performance depends on water, temperature, nutrition and crop management. The figures show why seed selection cannot be separated from soil improvement, agronomic practices and skilled interpretation of field data.
After harvest, cotton bales receive QR Codes that support traceability and certification. Together with fibre analysis, this gives buyers more information on origin and quality. For producers, the next challenge is to convert higher output and technical quality into efficient logistics and reliable market access, particularly as international price movements and environmental requirements become part of routine commercial decisions.
