La-Press-Releases
Louisiana Field Office
5825 Florida Blvd.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana  70806
Phone: (225) 922-1362

					PRESS RELEASE

On: November 1 Crop Report                            For Information Contact:
                                                                Terry Mathews
For Immediate Release: November 09, 2006                       1-800-256-4485



     Louisiana Cotton Yield Expected To Be The Second Highest Yield Record


"One of the wettest October’s on record for Louisiana will likely have a 
minimal impact on cotton production," said Nathan Crisp, Director of the 
Louisiana Field Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
"However, this is still the second highest cotton yield on record," Crisp 
added.  Despite the wet conditions other crops were able to escape with 
minimal damage as harvest was virtually complete when the wet weather set in.

Louisiana’s cotton production is expected to total 1.24 million bales, down 1 
percent from last month but up 13 percent from 2005.  Acreage harvested is 
estimated at 620,000 acres.  The yield per acre, at 960 pounds, is down 8 
pounds from last month but up 82 pounds from 2005.  If realized, this will 
be the second highest yield in the state’s history, down 7 pounds from the
record.  Upland cotton production for the U.S. is forecast at 20.5 million 
bales, down 12 percent from last year.

The Louisiana sugarcane crop is estimated at 12.18 million net tons, up 8 
percent from the previous month and up 17 percent from last year.  Acreage
expected for harvest (sugar and seed) is 435,000 acres.  Yield is forecast
at 28 net tons per acre, up 2 tons from the October 1 estimate and up 5.1 
tons from 2005.  U.S. production of sugarcane for sugar and seed in 2006 
is forecast at 29.8 million net tons, 12 percent above last year.

Louisiana rice production is forecast at 19.8 million cwt, unchanged from the 
October 1 estimate but down 36 percent from 2005.  Rice acreage for harvest 
is estimated at 345,000 acres. This is the lowest harvested acreage since 
1914 when 320,000 acres were harvested.  Yield per acre is forecast at 5,750 
pounds, unchanged from last month but down 150 pounds from last year.  U.S. 
rice production is forecast at 193 million cwt, down 13 percent from last year.

Soybean production is expected to total 26.56 million bushels in Louisiana, 
unchanged from the October 1 estimate but down 8 percent from a year ago.  
Acreage of soybeans expected for harvest is 830,000 acres.  Yield is forecast 
at 32 bushels per acre, unchanged from the previous month but down 2 bushels 
from 2005.  U.S. soybean production is forecast at 3.30 billion bushels, up 
5 percent from 2005.

Louisiana’s corn production is forecast at 39.15 million bushels, unchanged 
from the previous month, but down 13 percent from 2005.  An estimated 290,000 
acres will be harvested for grain, down 40,000 acres from last year.  Yield 
per acre, at 135 bushels, is unchanged from last month but down 1 bushel 
from a year ago.  U.S. corn production is forecast at 10.7 billion bushels, 
down 3 percent from 2005.

Sorghum production is estimated at 8.45 million bushels in the state, compared
to 8.71 million bushels last year.  Sorghum harvested acreage is estimated at 
88,000 acres. Yield is forecast at 96 bushels per acre, unchanged from the 
previous month but down 3 bushels from 2005. U.S. production of sorghum is
forecast at 288 million bushels, down 27 percent from 2005.

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