Tocantins authorizes cotton planting after the end of the sanitary break.

Starting this Friday (November 21st), the cotton planting window in Tocantins will be open, continuing until January 25th, 2026 for the first crop (rainfed). For the second cotton crop, planting will be authorized from January 15th. The authorization was announced by the Agricultural Defense Agency (Adapec), after the end of the sanitary break. 

According to Marley Camilo, Plant Health Manager at Adapec, producers must register their production areas at the Agency's office in the municipality where the crop is cultivated. The deadline is January 15th for first-crop cotton and March 15th for second-crop cotton, as established by law.

The area cultivated with cotton has been growing every year in Tocantins. In the 2024/2025 harvest, there was a 58% increase in the planted area compared to the previous harvest, reaching 14,5 hectares of cotton registered with Adapec.

End of the sanitary vacuum

The cotton planting ban in the state began on September 20th and ends this Thursday, the 20th. This measure contributes to the prevention and control of the cotton boll weevil, the main pest that attacks the crop. 

During this period, Adapec monitored the cotton-growing areas, ensuring that there were no plants posing phytosanitary risks in the field, thus interrupting the insect's reproductive cycle.

Cotton boll weevil

Adults are gray or brown beetles, measuring 3 mm to 7 mm in length. The pest infests crops from the beginning of flower bud emergence until harvest, and can develop four to six generations in a single crop cycle. If left uncontrolled, it can cause production losses of up to 70%.