AgFax Rice - Louisiana
By AgFax Media LLC, AgFax.com
OVERVIEW
The scope of this week's flooding and losses in Arkansas have become clearer. In all, 100,000 acres of rice could be lost in the state. That doesn't include any losses in soybeans, corn or cotton – crops that don't cope as well as rice does with extended flooding.
Estimates for Missouri's losses aren't fully known yet.
Those heavy rains over the weekend (4/29-30) quickly filled the region's rivers, pushing water into adjoining fields and swelling area lakes and reservoirs. Record crests were reported on a number of rivers and levees gave way in places, which flooded communities and wide stretches of farmland. (Connect to related reports in our Links section.)
How much of the flooded rice will survive is an open question.
Louisiana also took a hit from weekend storms. Amounts varied but enough fell to trigger flooding. See comments from Dustin Harrell.
Cooler weather also set in this week across much of our coverage area, which will slow growth until enough warm weather returns.
LOUISIANA CROP REPORTS
Ashley Peters, Peters Crop Consulting, Crowville, Louisiana
"A couple of my growers are about 50% finished planting rice. Another is done, while yet another is probably two-thirds finished. A little rice was planted last week and we're waiting for a stand there. I'm checking to see whether Command has been activated.
"Some rice could go to flood in 12 to 15 days if the weather cooperates. Overall, rice acreage is down 25% to 30% through this area. Some growers dropped back more than others. One farmer went from 1,200 acres last year to 400 this year, while another guy was down about the same."
Dustin Harrell, Louisiana Rice Extension Specialist, LSU Rice Research Station, Crowley
"Rain is the big story here. The situation hasn't been as extreme as what they're dealing with in Arkansas and Missouri, but it's certainly bad enough – especially after we went through so much flooding in the latter part of the 2016 season.
"Rain in south Louisiana has varied considerably. Here at the station we received about 1.5 inches last Saturday (4/29). But north of here some totals hit 6 to 12 inches, with fields flooded and water in homes. Today (5/3) it rained all day, including in places that already received 9 inches.
"We really won't know how badly the rice was affected until later in the week. The flooding also varies – from deep to little or no standing water at all. A lot of water did come off fields quickly after the weekend, but we definitely didn't need rain today.
"We've already had some rice at green ring and a lot is approaching it. We still have rice going to flood, and the crop is progressing ahead of normal, otherwise. Everything was going in the right direction with this crop – until Saturday."