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U.S. cotton estimate drops, mostly because of dry SouthLUBBOCK, Texas (AP)--Dry parts of the mid-South and southeast have led to a drop of 1.3 million bales in the nation's cotton production from last month, according to projections released July 12 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lack of moisture in the Tennessee Valley region of Georgia and Alabama is responsible for most of the reduction, said Steve Slinsky of the Memphis, Tenn.-based National Cotton Council. Meanwhile, parts of Oklahoma and Texas, the nation's leading producer of the fluffy fiber, have too much moisture as rains continue to drench the region. June's production estimates had U.S. yields at 820 pounds per acre; that dropped 20 pounds per acre with July 12's numbers. The report's projections now have the nation producing 17.5 million bales this year, down 19 percent from the 21.6 million bales in 2006. "It's either we're too wet or too dry," Slinsky said. Reports from northern Alabama indicate producers there "may have enough moisture to get a half decent crop," he said. North Carolina, South Carolina and the western part of Mississippi are also in good shape, Slinsky said. Cool temperatures and wetter than normal conditions in a 41-county region of West Texas that is the world's largest contiguous cotton patch could prove problematic, he said. Also, planting was delayed in some parts of the Texas, where about 5 million acres have been planted. "They really need some dry, warm weather," Slinsky said. "We're not sure they're going to be able to get that out of the field by the first frost because of delays in maturity." Now, though, thanks to plenty of rain in cotton-producing areas of the state, 85 percent of Texas' cotton crop is in fair to excellent condition, according to a USDA report released July 9. Through July 11, Lubbock is just six-tenths of an inch from its normal annual rainfall of 18.7 inches, according to the National Weather Service in Lubbock. The state is coming off back-to-back drought years, with 2006 resulting in $4.1 billion in crop and livestock losses, the worst in a single year. The USDA will release its first field survey on the crop's progress next month. The USDA production report also estimated that the country's winter wheat production would be 1.56 billion bushels, down 3 percent from last month but 20 percent above 2006. Orange production nationwide for the 2006-07 season was forecast at 7.59 million tons, up 3 percent from the June 1 forecast but 16 percent below last season's final utilization of 9 million tons. Florida was forecast to produce 5.8 million tons of all oranges, 1 percent lower than last month and 13 percent lower than the final utilization from the 2005-06 season's crop of 6.64 million tons. California's all orange forecast for was 1.69 million tons, up 22 percent from the April projection but 26 percent below last season's final utilization.
Date: 9/11/08
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