OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (RFD NEWS) — Drought and extreme heat are creating challenges for cotton producers across the South and Midwest, with some growers facing significant crop losses.
Extension specialist Dr. Jenny Dudak says some areas will have good cotton crops this year, but those fields will be limited.
“Unfortunately, with all the drought and the heat that we’ve had there, we do have some pockets, though, that will make some cotton,” Dudak said. “Some irrigated ground that had plenty of water that will make some cotton this year. But unfortunately, many other areas in our state were not that lucky.”Dudak says some producers did not have enough water available for irrigation, while dryland cotton missed needed rainfall.
With crop conditions deteriorating, Dudak says producers should contact their crop insurance adjusters as soon as possible.
“That’s kind of the next step: calling your adjuster, and you know, making sure that they’re coming out and looking at your fields as soon as possible,” Dudak said.
Dudak says excessive growing degree days and prolonged stretches of 100-degree-plus temperatures have accelerated cotton development, pushing some fields to what is technically considered harvest-ready by mid-August.
“If your crop is failed out, or you think it’s going to fail out, yeah, just call your adjuster and try to get them out there in a timely manner,” she said.
Oklahoma is currently among the states with the most severe cotton conditions, with 55% of the state’s crop rated in the bottom category.
