Have you ever wondered exactly what types of factors influence the prices of American cotton? Cotton farmers pay close attention to these prices, but don’t always have a clear sense of exactly what causes their regular fluctuations.
From a cotton harvester parts company, here are a few of the biggest factors that play a role in determining the price of cotton on a national and international scale:
Production totals: As the amount of cotton being produced rises and falls, so too do the prices for the crop. This is simple supply and demand in action—the more in demand the product is, the more expensive it will become. Some years have better outputs than others due to a variety of factors, including weather, bug infestations and plant diseases. Recent years have seen lower outputs than historical levels, which has led to increases in general crop prices.
Economic growth: The worse off an economy is, the less likely consumers are going to be to want to spend money on cotton-based items like jeans, shirts and bedsheets. However, as the economy continues to grow, so too do people’s expendable incomes and the amount of money they’re willing to spend on these items. Therefore, the stronger the economy, the higher the prices for cotton become.
Oil prices: It might be confusing at first to consider that oil prices and cotton prices could be at all linked. However, consider this: cotton has the single largest per-acre energy cost out of all farmed items, which means changes in oil price also directly affect changes of cotton prices. The more expensive oil becomes, the more expensive cotton becomes as well, because increased oil prices mean increased costs of harvesting that cotton, not to mention shipping it around the globe.
Seasonal changes: The price of cotton can vary depending on the time of year. The prices usually hit their peak in February and March every year, and tend to bottom out around August. This has to do with the harvest cycles and the times of year at which there is the most demand for cotton goods.
International factors: Overseas demand for cotton can also influence the prices here in the United States. China, for example, had been stockpiling cotton for years, which led to artificially inflated prices. When China stopped its stockpiling program, these prices began to come back down to earth.
Government policies: Many countries that produce cotton try to shield their farmers and the textile industries from outside competition, but when these policies change there can be a big impact on other cotton producers around the world.
Weather: Changes in climate and weather patterns can have an effect on cotton prices, especially when there are droughts. Cotton depends on fertile soil, up to four feet of water each year, plenty of sunshine and no frost, and a lack of any of these factors could result in major cotton production problems and resulting price changes.
These are just a few of the factors that affect cotton prices nationally and internationally. To speak with an expert at a cotton harvester parts company, contact Certi-Pik, USA today.
Cotton continues to be one of the most important crops grown in the United States, especially in the southeast, where massive cotton operations produce enormous harvests every single year. Still, cotton farmers are always looking for new ways they can boost their crop yield. Many times, it’s just a few basic things that can help these farmers achieve greater efficiency and profitability out of their crops.
With this in mind, here are a few cotton growing tips that can help you achieve productive results with high quality cotton picker parts this season and beyond at your cotton farm.
Begin cleaning and weeding early on
Weed management is important in the cotton growing industry. It’s especially important to get rid of pigweed, as it can wreak havoc on a cotton crop.
You should aim to have a completely clean field upon planting the crop, and after that you should follow a meticulously laid out herbicide schedule, and use post-emergence products as needed. Pigweed tends to emerge within 18 to 21 days after you plant the cotton, so the first three weeks of the crop’s life are especially important for weed management so you can maintain better control over the weeds in the area. It also allows you to reduce the amount of money you spend in the long run on labor and herbicide.
Manage your irrigation
Tweaking your irrigation plans can help you get the best results out of your overall crop yields and your resulting profits. Many studies have shown that using higher volumes of water during the later growth periods of the crop can help provide greater yields.
Choose the correct cotton varieties
Any cotton varieties you grow should fit well with your operation. Beyond just the yield you’re trying to get, you should consider the conditions of your field, including soil texture and type, pest and weed pressure and whether the land is dry or irrigated. You should also have several variety tests performed. You might even consider planting several varieties one year to analyze which produces the best results at your farm.
Make bug control a priority
It’s never a good idea to skimp on bug control. An insect infestation could prove devastating to your operation, both in terms of crop loss and the financial hit. Therefore, to save money and prevent potential losses, try to plant as early as possible and make sure you isolate your cotton crops from any other crops that tend to serve as major hosts for pests, like corn.
Quality over everything
Quality is the most important aspect of your product. High-quality cotton is not as common as you might think on a global scale, so your profitability could be linked more to the quality of your cotton than the amount you produce. The previous tips should help you increase this quality.
For more information about how you can get the best results out of your cotton harvest this year and every year, contact the team at Certi-Pik, USA. We specialize in the fabrication and sale of a wide range of cotton picker parts, and look forward to assisting you soon!
Because cotton is your livelihood, you need to know that your cotton harvester equipment will work when you need it to. But who do you call when you need replacement parts? A reliable source, naturally! Here are some reasons why you should always buy your replacement cotton picker parts from a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited manufacturer.
A better guarantee
After doing your research you’ll learn that there are many places that sell cotton harvester and picker parts. However, not all sellers are selling quality parts. Low-quality parts may be fast to fail, and may even cause damage to other machine parts. In cases where a new replacement part breaks well before it should, it would be fantastic to be able to get a refund or replacement, but you may not get these options if you did not buy from a reputable source to begin with.
With a disreputable manufacturer, you will have to search for the right contact information, report them to the BBB and wait weeks, even months, for a replacement part to arrive or get your money back—if at all. Don’t risk your business and your cotton crop! Buy your cotton picker parts from a reputable source from the start.
Know you are getting quality
A huge reason why you want to do business with a BBB accredited cotton harvester parts manufacturer is because you will know you are buying good quality products. Here’s how the BBB rates businesses: First, they take every customer comment into account, the good, the bad and the ugly. They weigh all the issues a manufacturer has had with customers in the past. If a company is reputable, the BBB will give them a good rating so future customers know they are likely to get quality services or products.
Why is it important that you check the BBB’s website? While you could read comments on online forums or social media, keep in mind that professionals probably have not assessed these kinds of customer ratings. No matter what, do plenty of research before moving forward on an expensive purchase.
Price
Buying off-brand or significantly lower priced picker parts can be tempting, especially considering how quickly maintenance and repair costs can pile up. If there is a noticeable price difference from one manufacturer to another, find out why. In this industry, cheaper parts often mean lower quality, though not always. You need to consider that these parts are for a pretty specific piece of machinery, meaning you want quality parts, which require time, skill and elbow grease to make—and that means they will be more expensive. It should make you wonder how a manufacturer can offer the same part for so much less!
Get the right parts
A lot of times, off-brand parts don’t fit or function correctly. They could even lead to costly problems down the road. This is why it’s important that you buy the brands that match your cotton harvester or a brand recommended by your mechanic.
Reach out to Certi-Pik, USA today for a selection of quality cotton picker parts made by the industry’s leading manufacturers!
Cotton harvesting machines are worked hard, so they need regular maintenance to remain efficient and safe for operators. But what’s the best course of action for tackling maintenance tasks? The following are tips to help you stay safe while performing maintenance and installing cotton harvester replacement parts.
Disconnect from power sources
Cotton harvesters are large pieces of equipment. As such, they can be dangerous when in use or being worked on. With that in mind, make sure to disconnect the part from its power source, regardless of whether the maintenance needed is to fix a broken belt or a damaged spindle or to replace a dead battery. Be aware that sometimes something like a slipped belt or jammed gear can appear to have no power. If what appears to be a breakdown is really be a simple jam or slip, you could get injured if the machine powers up all of a sudden.
If you’re working on a detachable cotton harvesting unit, be sure to disconnect it from the rest of the machine—especially the part with the engine. While detaching it requires more time, this is the safest route.
Purchase quality parts
There are several reasons why a harvester may fail, including buying low quality replacement parts and parts that are not meant for your specific job. Wrong or weak parts can mean early part failure, and headaches for you and your team. Stop buying the same low quality replacement parts! Of course, the high quality, manufacturer-approved cotton picking replacement parts you’d get from a BBB-accredited maker and supplier will cost more up front, but this will save you money and time down the road.
Avoid working alone
Even if one person on your crew says they can perform cotton harvester maintenance just fine on their own, insist they work as part of a team. Their offer is all well and good and the extra manpower could be used elsewhere, except that working as part of a team is a way to stay safe. These machines are heavy and made up of many moving parts, so it’s best to have other people around to help get the job done, watch for potential accidents and power down the system and get help should an emergency arise.
While you’re the type of person who takes the proper precautions to stay safe when performing maintenance and repairs, you never know when something could go wrong. You could be under equipment when the hydraulic system gives out or the jack fails, or a piece of your clothing might get caught up in a gear. Work in a team for safety’s sake!
Stay in communication
Communication is key when working on and around heavy machines. The job requires constant communication with your team—whether they are there with you or elsewhere on site—letting them know where you are and what your plans are at all times. That way, if you fail to report in at a certain time or are not responding to calls, they will come check on you.
If you are in search of reliable and high-quality cotton harvester replacement parts, call or visit the team at Certi-Pik, USA today!
Cotton, one of the world’s oldest and most well established cash crops, thrives in areas with long, hot summers. For many centuries, cotton bolls and seeds were picked by hand in a tedious, labor-intensive process. Thankfully, technological innovations in the 19th and 20th centuries removed the vast bulk of manual labor necessary to pick and process cotton effectively. The development of the cotton picker spindle made the process of cotton harvesting substantially easier than previously imagined.
Today, cotton is picked using large cotton picker machines. They have small mechanical digits, called cotton picker spindles, that remove the bolls from the plant, while leaving the plant itself largely intact. The bolls themselves contain both the cotton fibers and the cottonseeds.
Unlike most commodity crops, cottonseeds come second compared to the cushiony fiber’s they’re protected in. Cottonseeds aren’t completely useless, however. Savvy cotton farmers typically use every possible part of the cotton plant, including the cottonseed.
Once the ripe bolls are removed from the stalks using the cotton picker spindles, they are brought into a facility with a cotton gin. The cotton gin strips the seeds, dirt and leftover plant material away from the cotton fibers. After ginning, the cotton fibers go on to be further refined into textiles, yarn, stuffing, thread and myriad other products. Cottonseeds, however, are also refined. Here are just some of the products produced using cottonseeds:
Cooking oil: One of the most lucrative uses of cottonseeds is for cooking oil. High-quality cotton seeds are cleaned and pressed into an edible oil known for its flavor stability. Cottonseed oil appears in a number of household products, including mayonnaise and salad dressing.
Planting seed: Of course, savvy cotton farmers save some of the most viable seeds for future planting. That way, they can continue to plant new cotton fields and reap the rewards of farming each season. Once seeds are past viability, however, farmers may still put them into the ground—they can improve soil as they break down.
Livestock feed: Cottonseeds are a healthy snack for many livestock animals, including hogs. Cottonseed is crushed and all lint is removed before being added to livestock feeds. Cottonseed hull and meal is a high-protein and high-fiber food item for a number of animals.
Cosmetics: Because of its clean, moisturizing oil, cottonseeds are becoming an increasingly popular ingredient in many cosmetic products. Cottonseed oil now appears in soaps, lotions, makeup and more.
Certi-Pik, USA has been the nation’s most trusted provider of cotton picker spindles since 1988. We provide our clients with a wide range of manufactured and fabricated cotton picker parts. We specialize in creating components for rebuilding units, including drumheads, spindles, cam tracks, spindle nuts, idle gears, lubrication hoses and more. Regardless of your needs, we’re here to help. Certi-Pik, USA is proud of its ability to help American farming communities remain competitive and reach their production goals.
To learn more about our extensive range of products and services, reach out to one of our knowledgeable representatives at your earliest possible convenience.
