Arizona Agri-Weekly: cotton at 45 percent boll setArizona Agri-Weekly: cotton at 45 percent boll set

The latest Arizona Agri-Weekly report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, released July 18.

Field crops

Squaring has occurred on 85 percent of Arizona’s cotton acreage, ahead of last year but slightly behind the five-year average. Forty-five percent of the acreage has set bolls. The condition of the cotton crop remains fair to excellent.

Alfalfa condition is also fair to excellent. Harvesting is active on over three-fourths of the acreage across the state.

Vegetable, fruit, and specialty crops

Arizona growers harvested cantaloupe, honeydew, and other melons.

Weather summary

Temperatures were mostly below normal for the week ending July 17, ranging from 7 degrees below normal at Paloma and Parker to 2 degrees above normal at Douglas and Willcox.

The highest temperature was 110 degrees at Marana, Maricopa, and Roll. The lowest reading was 33 degrees at Grand Canyon.

Precipitation was recorded in 13 of the 22 weather stations. The least precipitation was recorded in Douglas with 0.02 inches. The most precipitation was recorded in Payson and St. John’s, both with 0.70 inches.

All weather stations across the State except Kingman and Roll have below normal precipitation to date.