Northeast Texas cotton thrives

By DAVY MOSELEY | East Texas Edition

September 9, 2001 -- Northeast Texas is a diamond in the rough insofar as cotton yields.

Estimated losses for Texas cotton growers sit at around $255 million, and prices are in the gutter, but Northeast Texas seems to be a cotton-producing demagogue all their own this year.

"It has been a (good growing season) as far as insect problems, and the yield potential looks pretty good," said Red River County Extension Agent Lynn Golden on Aug. 30.

In neighboring Lamar County, planted acres of cotton are doing well, echoed Extension Agent Mike Morrow.

"We have about 3,000 to 4,000 acres of cotton in the southeast corner of the county. The growers have not been hard-hit by insects this year, and we received some timely moisture in June when we needed it," Morrow said. "It's a fairly good crop, however, cotton prices are not so good. "

As with other cotton-producing counties, cotton prices and government programs are what will make, or break, the future of cotton in Texas.

Paul Ray Keys, with Deport Farm Supply, added, "We could have had a really good crop if we had gotten more rain in July and August, but we at least had some moisture in June. I'd say we're not going to have record-breaking yields, but we'll have a good, average crop."

Northeast Texas cotton growers are normally plagued by boll weevils and rootworms, but for whatever reason, the pests were non-impactive this year -- fortunately as cotton prices are lower than they've been in years.

"Prices are going to be worse this year than they've been in 30 years," Keys said.

The state's major cotton-producing areas are in the Rolling and Southern High Plains.

Based on results of a survey conducted the first two weeks of March by the Texas Agricultural Statistics Service, Upland cotton acreage for 2001 was forecast at 6 million acres, down 6 percent from 2000. By Aug. 1, cotton growers had abandoned 1.7 million acres of 6.2 million acres planted.