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Georgia peanuts forecast for massive crop

Georgia's 2017 peanut crop is shaping up to be the largest in more than 20 years and an increased cotton forecast has potential to keep commodity prices low, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the University of Georgia.

NASS, in its August crop production report, forecast the state's peanut crop at 3.884 billion pounds, up from 2.8 billion pounds harvested in 2016. According to a UGA press release, the state's crop would be the largest since the early 1990s. UGA Extension Peanut Agronomist Scott Monfort attributed the huge crop to an increase in acreage and extremely favorable weather conditions. 

"Usually in August, temperatures are running anywhere between 95 degrees and 100 degrees. Nighttime temperatures are up. We're also a little bit drier, so the plant is struggling to produce peanuts," Monfort said. "Having a little breather in temperature will allow the plants to be more efficient."

According to the NASS statistics, the state's growers planted 850,000 acres in peanuts in 2017, up from 720,000 in 2016. 

Georgia 2017 cotton production is also forecast for a huge increase over 2016. NASS projected the state's production at 2.9 million bales, up from 2.18 million bales in 2016. National forecasts have some in the cotton industry concerned that prices paid for raw fiber could remain depressed because of an abundance of cotton. The USDA's August World Agricultural Supply And Demand Estimate (WASDE) projected U.S. cotton growers to harvest 20.5 million bales, up from 19 million bales estimated in the July WASDE report indicated that cotton prices would remain between 55 and 67 cents per pound.

NASS projected a slight increase in the state's corn production despite a decrease in acreage. Georgia corn growers are projected to produce 56.9 million bushels in 2017, up from 56.1 million bushels in 2016.

The state's hay growers are forecast to produce 1.5 million tons in 2017, up from 1.38 million tons in 2016. 
Georgia soybean growers are expected to produce 7.48 million bushels in 2017, up from 7.2 million bushels in 2016.

Though the state's tobacco growers trimmed acreage from 13,500 acres in 2016 to 12,500 acres in 2017, NASS forecast production of 28.75 million pounds in 2017, up from 28.35 million pounds in 2016. 

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