By Clint Thompson
Georgia’s peanut acreage could increase back up to 700,000 acres, if not more, for the 2023 season. That will depend on how farmers approach their cotton acreage.
Scott Monfort, University of Georgia Extension peanut agronomist, discussed the crop during the recent Georgia Peanut Farm Show in Tifton, Georgia.
“Whether we go up or not will be indicative of what cotton does. If you look at the cotton market right now, it’s somewhat suppressed. If I’m a grower looking at what to do, what has always paid back, I’m probably going to think about bumping my acres a little bit for peanuts,” Monfort said. “We’ve got some growers that never move. We’ve got a lot of people that fluctuate. I think we have room to inch back closer to 700 or a little bit better than that.
“It all depends on corn for a little bit but also what does cotton do?”
Georgia growers produced 678,000 acres in 2022.
“We’re not going to carry over as much as what was predicted. I think we have a good chance to start off the year good, as far maybe some contracts that are in decent areas. Who knows? From what I hear it might start off good. Who knows? If our prices are decent and cotton is low, we’re going to see us go back over 700,000,” Monfort said.