Ag News
Georgia producers expected to plant more peanuts, hay and corn in 2019
Posted on Apr 17, 2019 at 0:00 AM
Georgia’s peanut, hay and corn growers are expected to plant more of those crops in 2019 than they did in 2018 according to the Southern Region Prospective Plantings report released on March 29 by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Georgia farmers intend to plant less cotton, soybeans and tobacco in 2019.
The state’s peanut producers are projected to plant 670,000 acres in 2019, up from 665,000 acres in 2018, a 1% increase. Alabama and Florida are both expected to have slight increases in planted peanuts. Nationwide, peanut acreage is forecast at 1.45 million acres in 2019, up 2% from 2018.
Georgia hay growers are forecast to harvest 610,000 acres in 2019, up from 600,000 acres in 2018, an increase of 2%. South Carolina growers harvested 270,000 acres in 2018 and were expected to maintain that acreage in 2019, while Florida is forecast for a 7% jump, from 280,000 acres in 2018 to 300,000 acres in 2019. Nationally, hay acreage is expected to remain virtually the same in 2019 at 53.1 million acres.
Corn growers in Georgia are expected to make a 17% increase, from 325,000 acres in 2018 to 380,000 acres in 2019. South Carolina is expected to make a similar increase, from 340,000 acres from 89.1 million acres in 2018, a 4% increase.
Georgia cotton producers are forecast for a 6% decrease, from 1.43 million acres in 2018 to 1.35 million acres in 2019. South Carolina is forecast for a 3% decrease, from 300,000 acres in 2018 to 290,000 acres in 2019. Nationally, cotton acreage is expected to reach 13.78 million acres, a 2% decrease from 2018, when U.S. growers planted 14.1 million acres of cotton.
Perhaps reflecting an ongoing concern about difficulties in international trade, Georgia’s soybean producers are expected to trim acreage from 145,000 acres in 2018 to 130,000 acres in 2019, a decrease of 10%. South Carolina and Florida are expected to make significant decreases in their soybean acreage, as well. South Carolina growers are expected to plant 330,000 acres in 2019, down 15% from 2018, when they planted 390,000 acres. Florida growers are expected to cut soybean acreage from 345,000 in 2018 to 280,000 in 2019. Nationally, soybean acreage is forecast at 84.6 million in 2019, down 5% from 2018.
Georgia tobacco acreage is expected to decline from 12,500 acres in 2018 to 12,000 acres in 2019, a 4% drop. South Carolina’s tobacco acreage is expected to decrease from 12,300 acres in 2018 to 11,000 acres in 2019 (11%). Overall, U.S. tobacco growers are expected to plant 244,000 acres in 2019, down 47,400 acres (16%) from 2018.
Georgia oat producers are forecast to plant 70,000 acres in 2019, up 17% from 2018 (60,000 acres). Nationwide, oat acreage is expected to decrease by 7%. The state’s winter wheat producers are expected to plant 210,000 acres in 2018, up 5% from 2018 (200,000 acres). U.S. winter wheat producers are expected to plant 31.5 million acres in. 2019, down 3% from 2018 (32.5 million acres).
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