This document provides recent market and contract pricing and contacts for a dozen Texas crops.<\/p>\n
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Prices for major commodity crops corn, cotton, and grain sorghum are especially strong at this point in 2022. \u00a0AgriLife Extension economists Dr. John Robinson, cotton, john.robinson@ag.tamu.edu<\/a> and Dr. Mark Welch, corn and sorghum, mark.welch@ag.tamu.edu<\/a>, are writing and speaking frequently on high prices and strategies for crop marketing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The February 2022 invasion of Ukraine has shaken world markets especially for wheat.\u00a0 Ukraine is a large exporter of winter wheat.\u00a0 The country also planted 32% (16 million acres) of world oilseed sunflower in 2021.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For many, pricing a 2022 crop could be as simple as working through your cotton gin pool or signing a grain contract at a pre-determined price based on Dec2022 futures.\u00a0 Here are some factors that affect this decision:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corn & Grain Sorghum<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corn can be traded on the futures market, most likely Dec2022.\u00a0 Puts, options, and other tools I do not understand.\u00a0 But it is basic if you decide to price a portion of your crop and sell it now, then grow that crop.\u00a0 These grain prices may vary as follows:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lesser Crop Commodities\u2014Prices, Contract, and Buyers<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I will list what I know for current prices and locations.\u00a0 This is not a complete list.\u00a0 But it should give you a flavor of what may be available.\u00a0 These lesser crop contracts are normally acres not yield.\u00a0 In most cases you are not at risk if you lose the crop.\u00a0 But be sure you understand the contract language.\u00a0 Each contractor can fill in the needed details.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sunflower\u2014Oilseed & Confectionary<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Confectionary pricing is at record high prices, but Texas processors have backed off contracting here due to supply from the Dakotas.\u00a0 Some Red River Commodities customers in the Texas Panhandle are delivering to southwest Kansas at $40\/30 cwt. for the two sizes of seed relative to 22\/64\u201d.\u00a0 Texas A&M AgriLife data in the High Plains indicates oilseed sunflower yields more per acre, but confectionary have a moderately higher crop value per acre (and more than the slightly higher confectionary sunflower production cost).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For oilseed sunflower, contract prices may increase<\/u> due to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.\u00a0 Ukraine harvested 16 million acres, or 32% of world oilseed acres in 2021. \u00a0Conversely, sunflower oil end users may opt to switch to other oils like palm, coconut, and especially soybean.\u00a0 This would cap prices on sunflower.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Standard pricing on oilseed sunflower has a \u201c2-for-1\u201d premium\/discount relative to 40.0% oil.\u00a0 For example, if sunflowers are 41.0% oil priced at $28\/cwt., then the grower will receive a bonus of $0.56\/cwt (and an equal discount if 39.0% oil).\u00a0 The average percent oil content in Texas sunflowers in the past 20 years is about 41%.\u00a0 Fields that have lower %oil typically were planted late (not fully mature) or had significant environmental stresses.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sunflower is federal program crop insurable for many counties in Texas.\u00a0 A written agreement is possible in other counties. \u00a0See the Texas map and final planting dates for full coverage at https:\/\/www.sunflowernsa.com\/uploads\/25\/TexasandOklahomaFinalPlantingDates.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Black-eyed Pea<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Black-eyed peas are a good rotation crop as there are not many legumes used in Texas crop rotations.\u00a0 Prices for all buyers are in the range of $0.50\/lb. for cleaned grain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sesame<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Crop contract prices for sesame are the highest I have known in 23+ years in Texas.\u00a0 See the post to Row Crops Newsletter for March 4, 2022.\u00a0 A primer on sesame production in Texas is online at http:\/\/lubbock.tamu.edu\/sesame<\/a> \u00a0See this document for information about federal crop insurance for sesame.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For further sesame production and contract information, contact the following.\u00a0 Prices are from February.\u00a0 Also, the sesame industry typically pays premiums for clean grain, low seed cracks, and desired color.\u00a0 Sesame in Texas is not currently priced to reflect oil content.\u00a0 Delivery may be arranged on the turnrow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Soybean<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Texas is minimally a soybean producer.\u00a0 Limited markets are available in far northeast Texas, the Texas Coastal Bend, and the Texas Panhandle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Guar<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Guar Resources, Brownfield, TX, has suspended operation for guar processing due to continued dirt-cheap guar import prices for guar gum and guar splits.\u00a0 The 2020 price was $0.175\/lb. delivered to Brownfield.\u00a0 This price is low relative to historical prices.\u00a0 Guar is a heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant crop that works well in dryland crop rotations.\u00a0 I hope it returns to Texas with improved prices soon.\u00a0 Also, guar is being evaluated under a Texas A&M AgriLife sub-contract to USDA Risk Management Agency for potential development of a program crop insurance program.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corn & Sorghum Silage<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There is not a set market for pricing on corn silage and forage sorghum for silage.\u00a0 Silage production can be quite attractive relative to grain production.\u00a0 Some preliminary 2022 silage prices in the Texas High Plains are ~$85\/ton for corn silage and $65\/ton for forage sorghum. These are the highest prices I have ever seen.\u00a0 In irrigated systems these two silage crops will return more revenue per 1\u201d of irrigation per acre than their grain counterpart.\u00a0 This is attractive as length of growing season and production costs are lower for the silage than for the grain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Peanuts<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The U.S. had a large high quality peanut crop in 2021.\u00a0 So, contractors and processors have been slow to issue bids for 2022.\u00a0 They also may be waiting to see how much acreage might be diverted to cotton, corn, and grain sorghum.\u00a0 The USDA Planting Intentions report to be issued on March 31, 2022, may influence decisions and prices once issued.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Peanut prices vary among Virginia, Runner, and Spanish; higher for Valencia.\u00a0 Prices for 2022 are now establishing in the range of $675 to possibly $700\/ton vs. $575 in 2021.\u00a0 Spanish (shorter season, less irrigation) and Virginia are in similar 2022 range.\u00a0 Valencia is shortest season, about one month less than Runner & Virginia and require less irrigation.\u00a0 One Valencia quote for 2022 is $925\/ton, up from $850\/ton last year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Summer Annual Forages & Alfalfa<\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since there is not an established commodity price for these crops, they are harder to price.\u00a0 In general sorghum\/sudan prices are good.\u00a0 Alfalfa at its different grades is not at top-dollar prices now.\u00a0 One resource for understanding current hay prices for four Texas regions is the USDA Texas Direct Hay Report.\u00a0 It is published every other week.\u00a0 See https:\/\/www.ams.usda.gov\/mnreports\/ams_2707.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n An additional Row Crop Newsletter article was published in early March 2022 that discusses current Texas forage prices.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dr. Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, TAMU Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences, Lubbock, 806-746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu<\/a>;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n
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