Rain Delays Sugar Cane Planting As Harvesting Gets Underway

THIBODAUX, La. (AP) — The relatively dry weather forecast this week is exactly what sugar cane farmers need.

American Sugar Cane League Senior Agronomist Herman Waguespack  tells The Daily Comet the planting season has been "very rough."

Waguespack says the wet weather comes at a time when the harvest season is set to beginning.

Farms have multiple years of crop growing at once, but most don't have the manpower or equipment to both plant and harvest at the same time.

Mark Naquin (NOCK'-kahn) who owns a farming machine company and farms sugar cane in Thibodaux said he is about 25 percent done with planting.

Sugar mills are starting to open this week starting with the second largest, Cora Texas Sugar Factory in White Castle, opening Thursday. Raceland Raw Sugar opens on Sept. 30 and Lafourche Sugar opens on Oct. 4.

(Information from: Daily Comet, http://www.dailycomet.com)

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