Rice harvest starting in south Louisiana.

A small amount of harvest has started in Vermilion Parish, La. Howard Cormier, Extension Agent, reported that a field of Cypress was cut today by Edwin Miller. Cormier estimated that the yield might be close to 40 barrels/acre.

Eddie Eskew, Extension Agent in Jeff Davis Parish, said that rains have delayed the start of harvest there. Some early rice was ready last week, but parts of the parish have received rain every day for the last eight or nine days, Eskew said. The forecast calls for drier conditions, and Eskew said some harvest probably will start there at the end of this week.

For more details, see this week's RiceFax, which will be updated late Tuesday night.