Wednesday, April 23, 1997

Wheat experts pessimistic about High Plains crop after freeze

By MARK BABINECK

Associated Press Writer

BARWISE (AP) - A bitter mid-April freeze severely damaged what might have been the best Texas wheat crop in five years, though industry experts said Tuesday that high prices might provide some relief.

Plentiful winter rainfall had left fields soaked and wheat hearty for the first time since farmers harvested 67 million bushels in the Panhandle in 1992. Then came the April 12 chill.

"I think there was a potential of about 65 million bushels in the Panhandle," said Brent Bean, a specialist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. "I think this freeze cost us 25 million to 30 million bushels."

Maturing crops in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas were in a vulnerable growth stage when the temperatures plunged into the 20s and teens. Younger wheat grown north of Kansas was still fairly impervious to the chill that gripped the Great Plains.

The good news for Texas growers is that prices are strong, hovering in the $5 per bushel range. Plus, disastrous flooding in the Dakotas and shorter foreign supplies are expected to invigorate prices.

"If they lose 30 to 40 percent of their crops, they may want to keep it because prices look so good," said Rodney Mosier, of the Texas Wheat Producers Association. "If the damage is more like 80 percent, they may want to plow it up and plant corn or grain sorghum. They can also graze it out or make hay."

Floyd County, northeast of Lubbock, and the northern tier of the Panhandle were among the areas that suffered most, though the snap caused problems throughout West Texas growing areas, Mosier said.

While wheat fields in the northern Panhandle are used for harvest, those in areas like the Floyd County crossroads of Barwise merely serve as grazing land for cattle. Cotton is king here.

"Most of them coming in talking about (the freeze) haven't noticed anything yet," said Richard McDonough, who works at the Barwise Elevator.

An inspection of a nearby field didn't show the two telltale signs of freeze damage: the smell of silage in the air and soft, mushy heads on the plants. However, McDonough said area growers don't expect to know the toll for another week.

Fields in the Abilene area ranged from virtually untouched to devastated, said San Angelo extension specialist Tom Fuchs.

"From what I'm told, the damage here depends a lot on what growth stage the wheat was in," he said.

The Texas Agricultural Statistics Service had rated the statewide crop at 78 percent of normal just before the freeze. That estimate since has plummeted to 58 percent of normal, although still better than the drought-tainted 33 percent rating this time last year.

"That's the real shame of it," Fuchs said. "We had a situation where we had above average rainfall and growing conditions."