U.S. producers planted more cotton and rice this year and reduced plantings of wheat, according to USDA’s June 30 Acreage Report. Cotton and rice acres are estimated 19 percent and 12 percent higher.

Cotton plantings for 2010 are estimated at 10.9 million acres, 19 percent above last year. Upland planted area is estimated at 10.7 million acres, also up 19 percent from 2009. Increased planted acres are expected in all states except Louisiana, where acres are unchanged from last year’s record low. In Alabama, California, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, planted acreage increased over 30 percent with California experiencing the largest percentage gain with a 76 percent increase. American-Pima cotton growers planted 209,000 acres, up 48 percent from 2009.

The increase is 400,000 acres over USDA’s March report on intended plantings and is expected to be negative for the market.

U.S. rice acreage is projected to rise to 3.5 million acres. Every state except California is expected to increase plantings. Arkansas plantings are projected at 1.68 million acres, up from 1.48 million acres. Louisiana acres are estimated at 560,000 acres, up from 470,000 acres. Mississippi is projected at 300,000 acres, up from 245,000 acres. Missouri is projected at 217,000, up from 202,000 acres. Texas is estimated at 199,000 acres, up from 171,000 acres, while California declined from 561,000 acres to an estimated 555,000.

Wheat planted area is estimated at 54.3 million acres, down 8 percent from 2009 and the lowest U.S. total since 1971. The 2010 winter wheat planted area, at 37.7 million acres, is 13 percent below last year. Of this total, about 28.5 million acres are hard red winter, 5.8 million acres are soft red winter, and 3.4 million acres are white winter. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2010 is estimated at 13.9 million acres, up 5 percent from 2009. Of this total, about 13.3 million acres are hard red spring wheat. Durum planted area for 2010 is estimated at 2.68 million acres, up 5 percent from the previous year.

email: [email protected]