(File Photo/Deon Zumwalt)
LUBBOCK, TX – Despite a cotton-growing trainwreck in the Texas High Plains in 2022, USDA remains optimistic about last year’s domestic crop size.
In their latest supply and demand estimates report (WASDE), the government found higher production than expected a month ago – an additional 211,000 bales – on better yields in the Delta and Southeast.
Overall, USDA expects a 14.2 million bale crop.
However, in West Texas, industry experts are shaking their heads. Before the report, Mark Brown, Director of Field Services with Plains Cotton Growers (PCG), said the crop is harvested, and ginning is all but finished – except for a couple of gins in Gaines County. Last season, the Lubbock region produced a 4.5 million bale crop, about 800,000 more than average, but this year is struggling to get to 1.5 million bales.
Though classing through USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is all but wrapped up in South Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, both Georgia and Tennessee may still find the additional 2.2 million bales in the next month.
USDA is projecting a reduction in mill use and world demand, with a season-average farm price of 85¢ per pound.
(SOURCE: All Ag News)
Classing Office 12/31/22 12/31/21 Total 2021 to 21total 22 vs.21 USDA 22 Estimate
Abilene 371,128 800,441 (1,518,648) 52.7% -75.6%
Corpus Christi 1,227,054 1,731,468 (1,747,036) 99.1% -29.8%
Dumas 1,287,181 994,348 (1,001,880) 99.2% +28.5%
Florence 1,511,613 1,191,067 (1,317,171) 90.7% +14.8%
Lamesa 170,297 1,019,404 (1,682,392) 60.6% -89.9%
Lubbock 1,285,224 2,190,443 (3,433,786) 63.8% -62.6%
Macon 2,742,909 1,998,405 (2,708,864) 73.8% +01.3%
Memphis 2,775,341 2,178,639 (2,656,989) 82.0% +04.5%
Rayville 414,843 267,567 (280,360) 95.4% +48.0%
Visalia 219,768 276,764 (425,385) 65.1% -48.3%
United States 12,005,358 12,648,546 (16,772,511) 75.4% -28.4% 14,200,000 -15.5%
2,194,642 bales needed to reach estimate
