http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

v 2.4.3.0

This year has been Texas’ worst drought since 2011, and the extreme heat and extended drought will slash the state’s economy, per the Texas Comptroller’s office. Texas endured 40 days with 100-degree temperatures, which, combined with dry weather, did not help the cotton crop. The 2011 drought cost the Texas economy $7.62 billion in direct agricultural losses and almost $17 billion in total losses, per the Texas Water Development Board. The comptroller’s office thinks that the 2022 drought could have a similar impact. The 2022 drought ravaged Texas’ cotton crop. Cotton producers, concentrated in the Panhandle, were expected to lose about $2.1 billion in total economic activity, not including the losses covered by crop insurance, according to the comptroller. The abandonment rate hit a record 68% in Texas. This year’s cotton production was forecast to be only 3.25 million bales, or 53% below Texas’ previous five-year average. The Dallas Morning News (Texas), Dec 16, 2022 Drought wiped out dryland cotton in the vicinity of Lubbock, Texas. The abandonment rate was about 70% to 75% and means catastrophic losses for the region, which will hurt the regional economy, including cotton gins, farm supply stores, etc. The West Texas region produces from 4% to 6% of the global cotton crop, which could represent a 3% dip in total global production. If the regional production loss were about 65%, the region could have a $2.1 billion loss in total economic activity and more than 17,100 job cuts across the region. Even with crop insurance, that loss would only slightly decrease to $1.2 billion and about 9,200 job cuts. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Texas), Oct 2, 2022 Cotton abandonment in Texas reached a record 68% this year. Cotton production is forecast to be only 3.25 million bales, which is 53% below Texas’ previous five-year average. The High Plains’ $2.1 billion damage estimate includes the impacts of crop insurance and loss of about 20,000 jobs statewide. Texas Tech estimates that about half of Texas’ total crop will be lost. The Dallas Morning News (Texas), Sept 16, 2022