Brazil's cotton harvest projected to drop 1.5% as El Niño threatens yields, while nematode tech shows profit boost

StoneX estimates that Brazil's 2026/27 cotton crop will fall 1.5% to 3.828 million tonnes, driven by expected El Niño‑related dry conditions that could cut productivity by 5.6% to 1.85 t/ha. The consultancy also foresees a 7.6% decline in exports, down to about 3.05 million tonnes, even as planted area is expected to rise 4.4% to roughly 2.09 million hectares, mainly in Mato Grosso.

Separate field trials by the agritech firm Satis in Mato Grosso examined its Fulland nematode‑management solution. Across three key cotton regions—Vale do Araguaia, Parecis and the BR‑163 corridor—the technology delivered higher fibre yields and economic returns, with the Parecis area achieving up to R$1.8 thousand per hectare. Average investment for the treatment was around R$90 per hectare, excluding standard pest‑control costs.