USDA expects planted rice acres to increase 9 percent this season

rice planterThe U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that farmers in the six rice-producing states will plant about 2.69 million acres, or about 9 percent more, than in 2017, according to figures in the USDA’s March 29 planting intentions report.

The USDA blames expected lower prices for competing commodities for part of the rice acreage bump compared to 2017.

The expected increase in acres planted to long grain rice accounts for most of the increase in the “all rice” planted acres.

Arkansas, the largest long grain-producing State, is expected to increase long-grain acres by 16 percent from the previous year. Medium-grain acres are expected to decline by 1 percent, but short-grain acres are expected to increase 31 percent from 2017.

California, the largest medium- and short-grain-producing state, is expected to decrease medium-grain acres by
4 percent in 2018.

The information below is based on USDA surveys of growers in early March that asks them how many acres they plan to plant this year. The agency will issue another report of actual planted acres in late July.

U.S. Planted Rice Acres

2016 2017 2018 (est)
Arkansas 1,546,000 1,161,000 1,331,000
California 541,000 445,000 440,000
Louisiana 437,000 400,000 410,000
Mississippi 195,000 115,000 120,000
Missouri 236,000 169,000 210,000
Texas 195,000 173,000 170,000
Total 3,150,000 2,463,000 2,690,000

You can read the full report by visitng the USDA NASS.

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