Wet April May Hamper Pima Cotton Planting

March of 2006 has been very wet. The unusually frequent rain is forecast to continue on into April. Our tenant needs to get his Pima (extra long staple) cotton planted as early in April as possible, and if the rain doesn't abate soon enough, he'll be forced to plant Acala (upland) cotton instead. While Acala cotton is a little less expensive to grow and harvest, its much lower price potential would be a serious problem.

Wheat Heading Out

Wheat Looking Very Good.

Our tenant's hard white winter wheat crop is growing nicely. It has an excellent stand and is heading out in late March, right on schedule. There is very little, if any, rust in it. The price for wheat has been strong, and it may bring more than $140 per ton ( $4.20 per bushel). Even at this price, wheat is still not a profitable crop to grow in the San Joaquin Valley, but it is the best rotation crop for the cotton that our tenant does count on for his profits.

Robert Sturgeon
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rsturge@inreach.com
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