By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter
Higher commodity prices have pushed Texas farmers to plant, and produce, more cotton, soybeans and peanuts this year.
Upland cotton
According to the September Crop Production report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), about 9.3 million bales of upland cotton are expected from Texas farmers this year.
That’s an increase of 15 percent over last year.
Farmers planted more cotton this year due to its higher commodity price. Increase yields also attributed to the increase.
Acreage harvested is at 5.9 million acres, USDA reports. That’s up 13 percent from 2016. Yields are averaging nine pounds an acre higher at 757 pounds per acre.
USDA’s April forecast called for 6.9 million acres of cotton in Texas this year.
Much of the cotton along the Texas coast was impacted by Hurricane Harvey in late August. High winds spread it across fields, fences and power lines, while some modules and bales were soaked in the field.
USDA announced Sept. 12 it plans to survey those affected by Hurricane Harvey for a better assessment of its full impact. That data, which may change estimates in the September report, will be published in an Oct. 12 report.
Soybeans
Texas farmers planted soybeans in about 150,000 fields this year. That’s up three percent over last year.
Yields are up nine bushels per acre to 40 bu./acre.
Production is estimated at six million bushels, up 33 percent.
Rain and flooding from Hurricane Harvey also took a toll on some farmers’ soybean crops. USDA is expected to update these estimates, as well.
USDA’s April forecast called for about 180,000 acres of soybeans in Texas this year.
Peanuts
Peanut production in Texas is 59 percent higher this year at 936 million pounds.
Yields are up 800 pounds to 3,600 pounds per acre.
Harvested acres are forecast up 24 percent to 260,000 acres.
USDA predicted 240,000 acres of peanuts in Texas this year.
Peanuts are not on the list of crops USDA is expected to survey for regarding Hurricane Harvey damage.
Corn
Texas corn production is forecast down nine percent this year to 294 million bushels.
Yields are up 13 bushels per acre to 140 bu./acre on average.
USDA reports 2.1 million acres of corn were harvested for grain in Texas this year. That’s down 18 percent over last year.
The April forecast from USDA called for 2.45 million acres of corn.
Flooding in some areas and drought in others, as well as a lower price, will likely weigh on Texas production this year.
Sorghum
Farmers opted to plant less grain sorghum in Texas this year. USDA reports production is at 101 million bushels. That’s down 13 percent over last year.
Farmers are reporting yields around 63 bushels an acre, which is down three percent.
The area harvested is estimated at 1.6 million acres, down nine percent.
The April forecast called for about 1.8 million acres of sorghum in Texas.
Rice
Texas farmers are forecast to grow about 12 million hundredweight (cwt) of rice this year. That’s down 13 percent from last year.
Yields are averaging about 7,000 pounds to the acre. That’s down 360 pounds per acre.
Harvested acreage is forecast at 171,000 acres, down nine percent.
USDA predicted about 165,000 acres of rice would be harvested this year in its April forecast.
Texas rice farmers were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. The Sept. 8 Harvest Report from Rice Tec explains there were many sprouted grains and lodged fields. Yields were also starting to go down.
According to the Rice Tec report, 90-95 percent of the first crop was harvested across the Gulf Coast.
A second, or ratoon, rice crop looked favorable for some, but canal damage will likely impact the crop for others.
USDA is expected to update their rice production numbers in the October report to reflect this damage.