AgFax Rice - Louisiana

OVERVIEW

Better planting conditions? Hotter weather and fewer chances for rain are in the forecast into the middle of next week.

How much more rice will be planted is an open question. The prevented planting deadline for rice is nearly upon us and some growers will exercise that option. Others will continue planting, according to our contacts this week. Some growers will press planting into the first week of June, we suspect, provided rain doesn't catch them in a big way.

Plenty of acreage remains under water in the Midsouth from backwater or river flooding. Any of that ground that was intended for rice will eventually be zeroed out from the final crop estimate.

More row rice might be planted in the Midsouth, although that wasn't the original plan. With lackluster soybean prices, some fields already rowed up for beans will shift to rice.

Flooding has started a bit more widely in the Midsouth and more will likely go to flood next week.

LOUISIANA CROP REPORTS

Keith Collins, Extension Agent, Richland, Ouachita and Franklin Parishes, Rayville, Louisiana:

"Rice is all over the place, from still being planted to a small amount of paddy rice that's just going to flood. After these record spring rains, things drug out. In particular, our heavy clay soils take time to dry out and we have hardly had enough dry weather to plant any of that.

"Plus, rivers are still up. Depending on the location, from 2 to 6 feet of water are still covering fields in parts of northeast Louisiana. That includes one of our key rice areas.

"We are making headway as much as possible. We had 5 or 6 dry days last week, so farmers covered a good deal of ground, but then it rained 1.5 inches over the weekend (5/18-19). We do have a favorable forecast, though, up through Wednesday or Thursday (5/29-30) of next week. 

"The prevented planting date is May 25, and a lot of land that's still under water will go to that if growers have coverage. At best, 50% of the rice in my parishes have been planted, although that percentage would likely be higher if we zeroed out the acres still under water. 

"We at least have excellent soil temperatures now, so rice is rapidly germinating and emerging fast. If there's a silver lining, that's it."