Sunday, Dec 2, 2012
Garza County News

Courtesy Photo

Garza County farmers hope for much improved cotton yields this year.

Local Farmers Hope for Better 2012 Cotton Yields

Cotton Yields from 2011 Announced

Published May 29, 2012 @ 11:46 a.m.

The USDA recently released the final estimates for the 2011 Texas cotton crop. The estimates, taken from information compiled from cotton ginners who participated in the USDA survey, showed a 55 percent drop from 2010 in total bales produced.

Farmers in the area are optimistic that 2012 will present a different picture with an increase in cotton production.  "We will finish planting today (May 30) and we are blessed with good moisture,"  said Billy Weaver of Weaver Farms with farmland in Garza and Lynn County.  "We have received 4 1/2 to 5 inches of good, slow general rains and the moisture isn't evaporating."  Weaver also explained that "the drought is not over" but he is "very excited about the year."

According to the USDA report the 2011 Texas Upland cotton crop totaled 3.50 million bales, down 55 percent from 2010. The production estimate was unchanged from the January forecast. The average yield per acre, at 589 pounds, was up 47 pounds per acre from January and down 114 pounds from 2010.  The 2011 average yield per acre was the lowest since 2003 with 478 pounds reported.  The highest yield during the past decade was in 2007 with 843 pounds average yield per acre.

Harvested acreage for the season totaled 2.85 million acres, down 47 percent from the previous season, and down 8 percent from the January estimate. Upland cotton planted acres  are unchanged from the January estimate of 7.55 million acres, and up 36 percent from the acreage planted in 2010.

Garza County comparisons are:

Planted Acres:  2010/387,000; 2011/531,000

Harvested Acres:  2010/382,000; 2011/100,600

Yield per Acre:  2010/613 lbs; 2011/569 lbs

Production:  2010/488,000; 2011/119,300 

 
The copyright for all articles is held by the respective authors and/or The Garza Post. All rights reserved. Any publication, rewriting, or redistribution is prohibited without prior written permission.
 
blog comments powered by Disqus

 


Support our sponsors!

 

 


Click for more!