LUBBOCK, TX – Rain and severe weather could add another challenge for Texas High Plains cotton growers as much of the crop remains unharvested and dryland abandonment is still being assessed.
Mark Brown, director of field services with Plains Cotton Growers, says forecasts called for as much as 3 to 4 inches of rain in some areas, with possible hail and severe storms. Much of the crop is open, and a large share has already been defoliated.
Brown says September rainfall helped wheat and improved soil moisture, but cotton conditions remain highly variable. He says many dryland acres have already been released, and abandonment is expected to be extremely high.
Insurance adjusters are still working fields, and some producers are reluctant to add more input costs. Brown says some may wait for a freeze rather than pay for additional defoliation.
The final effect on production and quality will depend on how the rain falls and how much damage open cotton receives before harvest advances.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Open cotton remains vulnerable to rain and severe weather as High Plains growers weigh harvest costs and abandonment.