COLLEGE STATION (AgriLife Today) – Agricultural losses in Texas from the 2011 drought totaled $7.62 billion, setting a record for the costliest drought in history, according to economists from Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
Record-high temperatures, coupled with record-low precipitation and high winds, devastated production. Water supplies dwindled, thwarting production of hay and other crops, as well as inciting large sales of livestock.
Texas’ biggest category loss was livestock ($3.23 billion), followed by cotton ($2.2 billion), lost hay production ($750 million) and corn ($736 million).
The deficit from the 2011 drought is higher than the $5.2 billion in losses previously reported.
AgriLife Extension economists have recorded losses from droughts six times since 2000. The previous record was set in 2006, with $4.1 billion in losses.
