The run of dry weather will allow for Louisiana corn producers to complete their harvest this week and yields are way up over last year when the state suffered through a historic drought. Last year farmers averaged 175 bushels per acre. LSU AgCenter Corn and Cotton Specialist Shelly Pate Kerns says production is higher this year.
“In northeast Louisiana, we’ve been cutting anywhere from 180 to 200 about. I went down to central Louisiana yesterday, and I got a report of 240, and that’s pretty much the highest that I’ve heard,” Kerns said.
But according to Trading Economics, corn prices have decreased 23-percent since the start of this year. Kerns says unfortunately an increase in yields, plus slightly lower input costs, will not result in more money for farmers.
“A lot of growers are concerned that even though that price is reduced on input, it’s not going to make up for the terrible yields we had last year and the low prices that we’re going to see this year,” Kerns said.
Kerns says the dry weather has helped corn producers complete their harvest, cotton producers could use some rain.
“Now we’re going through a little bit of a dry spell, which is really good for drying down that corn in the field for getting it out, getting to the correct moisture content. It has suffered a little bit in cotton. We’ve had a little bit of fruit shed,” Kerns explained.
South Louisiana will start to see higher rain chances tomorrow and rain chances will go up for north Louisiana on Friday and there’s a good chance for storms and showers this Labor Day weekend.
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