Outlook For La. Sugarcane Crop Brightens

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An agricultural expert says Louisiana's sugarcane crop appears to have suffered less damage from Hurricane Isaac than first thought.

But Kenneth Gravois, with the Louisiana State University Agcenter, says next year's crop probably will be hurt worse than this year's because about half the seed cane was planted late.

With about four-fifths of the cane still in the fields and a harvest that runs into early January, he wouldn't make fresh predictions on the total crop loss from Isaac.

After the storm came ashore Aug. 28, flattening many fields in sugar-producing coastal parish, estimates of the loss ranged as high as $60 million.

But plants in many fields flattened by Isaac's winds straightened up, lessening the apparent damage.

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Online:

www.agcenter.lsu.edu

www.amscl.org