LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - Last week's storms that ripped through the South Plains, bringing large hail and rain, damaged a large part of this year's cotton crop. Plains Cotton Growers Association and Texas AgriLife Extension Service say there are reports of individual producers sustaining up to 100 percent loss in some fields, which is extremely damaging for them economically.
According to Plains Cotton Growers Association and Texas AgriLife Extension Service, cotton acreage in four counties were most impacted by the storms: Lubbock, Lynn, Terry and Yoakum Counties. Of the four, Terry County was the most severely impacted and sustained the biggest loss. They say it is nearly impossible to project the impact in bales or dollars, since much of the affected acreage was not harvested.
In Terry County an estimated 225,000 acres of cotton, about 90 percent, were in the fields awaiting harvest when the storms moved through. Of the 10 percent harvested, yield losses (expressed as a percentage of potential yield) are estimated as follows:
•60,000 acres - 0-10 % loss
•145,000 acres - 10-20 % loss
•10,000 acres - 20-50 % loss
•10,000 acres - 50-80 % loss
Cotton in Lubbock County was estimated to have been 40 to 45 percent harvested at the time of the storms. Reports indicate approximately 10,000 acres of cotton in Lubbock County sustained damage ranging from 5 to 10 percent of expected yield.
Cotton in Lynn County was estimated to have been 30 to 35 percent harvested at the time of the storms. The storm-related damage reported in Lynn County appears to have mostly impacted acreage in the northwestern portion of the county. At this time about 10,000 acres sustained losses between 10 and 20 percent of expected yield.
Cotton in Yoakum County was estimated to have been 15 to 20 percent harvested at the time of the storms. Yoakum County appears to be the starting place for the storm, in the area immediately surrounding the Tokio Coop Gin. The storm seems to have directly impacted yield in approximately 6,000 acres of cotton as follows:
•1,000 acres - up-10 % loss
•1,000 acres - 10-20 % loss
•2,000 acres - 20-50 % loss
•2,000 acres - 50-75 % loss
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