Cotton picking situation leads some farmers to sing the blues
By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications
MISSISSIPPI STATE –As the harvest season finally gets under way in
Mississippi, some cotton producers are “pickin’ and grinnin’” while
others are woefully singing a different tune.
“Dryland cotton yields of 850 to 900 pounds of lint per acre have been
reported; however, this is on very limited acreage. Many growers have
reported at least some damage to their cotton while others have damage
at disastrous levels due to excessive rainfall,” said cotton specialist
Darrin Dodds of the Mississippi State University Extension Service.
“The north Delta does not appear to be suffering as much damage as areas
farther south. Cotton in the north Delta was planted late and, in turn,
was later maturing, which protected it to some degree from all of the
rainfall,” he said.
Rain slowed the pace of harvest from what it normally is at this time of
year. Mississippi received more than 7 inches of rainfall since the
first week of September, with some locations receiving significantly
greater amounts. This slowed defoliation applications and harvesting.
As of Oct. 4, less than 1 percent of the crop was picked. Producers
usually have 45 percent to 50 percent of the crop harvested when October
begins.
“We had a tremendous crop and outstanding yield potential back in August
when the weather was dry and temperatures were optimum for boll
development,” Dodds said. “By the third week of August, temperatures
dropped, and when they came back up in September, the rains set in.”
The combination of excessive rainfall, warmer temperatures and the
resulting humidity created a situation conducive to boll rot and
hardlock. Boll rot is caused by an array of different diseases that
affect the quality of the lint.
“If the bolls are cracking or are open already and weather like we have
had the past several weeks sets in, the lint starts to deteriorate,”
Dodds said. “You then run into yield and grade problems because lint may
be unharvestable and/or quality is reduced.”
Hardlock, perhaps a more frustrating problem for many producers, occurs
when the fiber does not fluff out. Lint quality may not be affected, but
the spindles on the cotton picker cannot grab the fiber. The unharvested
bolls eventually fall to the ground.
“Both conditions are bad for producers because they contribute to yield
and/or fiber quality reductions,” Dodds said. “Affected areas report
yield losses ranging from 10 percent to 75 percent.”
While some producers have had no cooperation from Mother Nature, they
may find some relief within the cotton market.
“Prices are back on the rise,” said Extension agricultural economist
John Michael Riley. “Mississippi was projected to yield 960 pounds of
lint per acre, but I suspect we will see that estimate come down because
of the wet weather we’ve experienced for so long.”
Cotton futures during the summer were on a roller-coaster ride as they
varied between 55 cents and 65 cents per pound. Riley said fluctuations
stemmed from the rise and fall in the U.S. dollar and the concerns about
drought in India, a major world cotton supplier.
“If the current weather persists, producers in Mississippi can expect
prices of nearly 60 cents a pound,” Riley said. “If the weather breaks
and pickers start rolling, prices probably will slip a little. Producers
then might be looking at prices around 55 cents.”
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Released October 9, 2009
Contact: Dr. Darrin Dodds, (662) 325-4072 and Dr. John Michael Riley,
(662) 325-7986
