this is from corpus christi times
reporting on south texas - which doesnt bode well for w tx
URL:
http://www.caller.com/ccct/business/article/0,2537,CCCT_873_4863363,00.html
Area's cotton loss at nearly $100M
Production cut 60% by state drought
By Fanny S. Chirinos Caller-Times
July 22, 2006
The Coastal Bend will lose an estimated $100 million from the drought's effect on cotton production.
Cotton production in the area is down from 50 percent to 60 percent as 350,000 acres of the area's 630,000 planted in cotton were ruined because of lack of moisture, said Jeff Nunley, executive director of the South Texas Cotton and Grain Association.
"San Patricio and Nueces counties experienced the worst drought in the area," Nunley said. "The rest of the state is still in a drought, but that outcome is yet to be determined."
Kleberg County received more rain than other counties, enough for Kingsville farmer David Schubert to bring up his crop of cotton. Schubert, who has been farming for 15 years in Kleberg and Nueces counties, brought in the first bale of cotton this year. He received a $1,500 award from the Corpus Christi Cotton Exchange.
Although the bale's cotton quality was light, Schubert says he hopes the rest of his harvest yields better quality.
"It was hard to get the crops going, but once we did, it went well," he said. "It's funny how you'll have perfect cotton in the same row as lesser cotton. The whole industry is affected by the drought. No one's buying equipment, hiring help and putting money back into the economy."
Lee Tiller, Corpus Christi Cotton Exchange president and manager of Smith Gin, said some area gins wouldn't open this year and those that did wouldn't be ginning much.
"Those of us who open will only be ginning about 25 percent of what we normally gin," Tiller said. "This is important for the little towns that depend on harvesters to buy diesel and rent trucks. There will be little of that this year."
Schubert said his production would be about average this year. His estimated 500-pound bale was taken from a single acre. An acre typically yields 1.4 bales, Nunley said. The bale will be auctioned and proceeds will be used to fund eight $1,000 scholarships awarded to area students interested in agriculture.
Contact Fanny S. Chirinos at 886-3759 or chirinosf@ caller.com
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