AgFax Cotton - Louisiana
OVERVIEW
Rain or the chance of it -- curtailed cotton planting this week across parts of the Midsouth. Heavy amounts were in the forecast. Cotton planting continued at least in the early part of the week but some growers held off planting this week altogether.
The meteorologists weren't bluffing. As we closed out our calls on Wednesday afternoon, the initial weather front already had moved across much of Arkansas and west Louisiana and was edging across the Mississippi River. The forecast calls for several days of additional rain. All that will keep many growers out of the field during a portion of next week.
Cottonseed availability was likely a factor among farmers who either quit planting early in the week or who didn't plant at all. Seed is in short supply, so any replanting could be problematic, aside from issues with weak germ and smaller seed size among some varieties.
Cotton acres still could go up in the region, based on feedback from our contacts this week. But they continue to site limiting factors, aside from continued wet weather. For one thing, gins are trying to limit the amount of cotton existing customers can plant. Several gins, we're told, have turned away new customers.
How much picking capacity will be available this fall is yet another question. Growers jumping into cotton after several years out of it no longer have pickers. Many will have to rely on custom harvesters who, like the gins, may already have all the acres they can handle.
LOUISIANA CROP REPORTS
Richard Griffing, Griffing Consulting, LLC, Monterey, Louisiana:
"We're probably 40% finished with cotton planting and it's coming up good. We're wet right now (5/7) and will be wetter tomorrow if the forecast for rain holds. But we had a pretty good run last week. In fact, the cotton I have so far was all planted last week, and it came up fast.
"My acres were down significantly last year but will be up almost 3X from what they were in 2018. With cotton, things are back like they used to be. More cotton would be planted if we had more gins. People should be okay with what they're planting now but I doubt if there will be any excess ginning capacity this fall."
Dan Fromme, Louisiana Extension Cotton And Corn Specialist:
"We're 20% to 30% planted. Things stalled out this past weekend due to rain. A little more has been planted this week (as of 5/8) but we're about to get a deluge of rain over the next 3 to 4 days, so a lot of people are holding back. It's sprinkling right now.
"Temperatures are great for planting cotton if the rain would just hold off. People have been trying to work through all kinds of scenarios about how they should plant this week, like going shallow and hoping for the best. Growers like to have all their cotton planted by May 15, which will be a tough mark to hit if the forecast holds true.
"June 1 is kind of the unofficial very last planting date in Louisiana. We don't like to plant cotton in late May but this year soybeans aren't too attractive. But after June 1, we'll see any remaining ground going into beans."