AgFax Rice - Louisiana

By AgFax Media LLC, AgFax.com

OVERVIEW

Rice harvest has mostly been on hold through a wide portion of our coverage area. That includes rice in southwest Louisiana, the lower Midsouth and east of Houston, Texas.

Rainfall totals have run 10 inches or more this week in some areas. More rain is in the forecast in the Midsouth through this weekend and well into next week.

Yields have slipped a bit more in southwest Louisiana. In Texas, averages west of Houston are very strong in at least some areas. Rice stink bugs are building in later rice in Arkansas.

LOUISIANA CROP REPORTS

Harold Lambert, Independent Consultant, Innis, Louisiana

"All of our rice was behind crawfish this year and it's into heading –from 60% to 100% headed. Most of it already has had one rice stink bug spray and we'll possibly do more in places."

Dustin Harrell, Louisiana Rice Extension Specialist, LSU Rice Research Station, Crowley

"It's still raining almost daily in southwest Louisiana. Growers have been harvesting where they can but opportunities have been scant lately.

"In the ratoon crop, rice is coming back strongly in a lot of cases. That's a big positive. With all the rain and fear of rutting up fields, people weren't able to do as much stubble management – either mowing or rolling – as they wanted. So far, though, the second crop is off to a favorable start.

"The negative right now is that average yields have slipped a bit since last week. They were running in the mid 40s (barrels/acre) but are now trending in the low 40s. We do, in fact, have some really good yields, based on reports people are sending me. But the averages are being brought down by those in the 30s.

"Yesterday (8/11), USDA's certified acres report showed Louisiana with 393,000 planted acres, which was about 7,000 acres lower than we had been estimating all year.

"One of the interesting points was that Missouri's acres topped Mississippi's pretty significantly. Missouri's certified acres were at about 165,000 versus 114,000 for Mississippi. That puts Mississippi last in terms of acreage among the major rice states. Missouri's certified acres were only about 5,000 acres less than Texas has this year.

"Among the minor states, Oregon showed up with 2,000 acres. I wonder what the story is on that?"