Texas cotton production down by more than half
Texas cotton production fell by more than half, from 7.84 million bales in 2010 to 3.5 million in 2011, and from 2 million more planted acres than the previous year, according to Texas USDA-NASS preliminary figures released from Austin.
Texas planted 7.55 million acres in 2011, up from 5.55 million in 2010, but harvested acreage dropped from 5.35 million to 3.1 million.
Average yield dropped from 703 pounds per acre in 2010 to 542 pounds per acre last year.
Districts 1 N (Northern High Plains) and 1 S (Southern High Plains) accounted for more than 4.6 million planted acres last year, but production dropped from 5.33 million bales in 2010 in those districts combined to 1.88 million bales in 2011.
Reports from South Texas suggest that a few timely rains during critical cotton growth periods that helped make the 2011 crop. The Texas High Plains and other Texas production areas endured record drought for the 2011 season.
