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Storms affect cotton yield and quality in MO Bootheel

A farmer in the Missouri Bootheel says Tropical Storms Francine and Helene haven’t done any favors for the cotton crop this fall.

Barry Bean from Pemiscot County says most of the area has experienced cotton losses following some wind and up to 14 inches of rain.

“What we’re seeing right now is some of our fields that we would’ve told you three weeks ago were going to be 100 to 200 pounds above a five-year average are coming in at 100 to 200 pounds below a 5-year average.”

He says 30 to 40% of the crop is likely going to be below average and there’s some quality issues with the cotton.

“After Francine passed through we were already seeing our grades drop from 31 and 32. We were seeing more color in the cotton and light spot, expecting to see a lot of strict low middling in cotton at a 41 grade.”

Bean says there’s some regrowth happening in defoliated cotton and some farmers will have to defoliate again, which is costly when the market is still 10 cents below the cost of production.

He says harvest is 20% complete on his farm and they’re hoping to be done with cotton harvest by Halloween.

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