Rice planting ahead of schedule

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) - Arkansas is known for producing rice and while the weather has provided some issues, farmers are ahead of schedule.

Arkansas farmers have planted over 30% of the 1.2 million rice acres as of mid-April, nearly two-thirds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Jarrod Hardke, the extension rice agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, says while Arkansas has seen its fair share of rain and storms, Northeast Arkansas can keep on working without much delay.

“With lighter rains, they’ve been able to keep hammering away,” Hardke explained. “There are a lot of growers up there who are either done planting rice or are about to be.”

While planning is always good, it can present some issues down the road.

“The issue is going to be managing all of those crops in a timely manner during the season, and then getting all out of harvest when they begin to stack on top of each other,” Hardke said. “They’ll be some interesting dynamics as the season plays out.”