Peanut Harvest Progresses in Georgia and Alabama Despite Dry Conditions
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Peanut farmers across the Southeast are working hard to get their crops in, but a lack of widespread rain continues to challenge progress. According to peanut specialists, rainfall has been too limited to meet crop needs in some regions.
“Well, the peanut farmers are trying to get their crop in, but it still has not rained enough according to the peanut specialists.”
While scattered rain is helping some areas across the peanut belt, it hasn’t been consistent.
“Growers are continuing to dig peanuts with the help of scattered rain across the belt. It is a blessing, they said, to receive the rain, but it is not as widespread as needed. Some areas in the central and eastern part of the state remain very dry.”
Despite the dry weather, early-planted peanut crops are showing good yields, unless disease or moisture stress affected the fields.
“The good news is that yields have been pretty good for the early planted crop, except for the fields with disease and or moisture issues.”
However, peanut grades have been lower than ideal due to weather challenges during pegging.
“Grades are improving, but have been in the low to mid-70s due to the weather impact during the peak pegging season. Very few seg-2s and seg-3s, they said, I would remind growers to stay up to date with your fungicide spraying.”
Pests are adding to the pressure.
“Velvet bean caterpillars are stripping the leaves off of several fields across Georgia.”
In Alabama, the situation has slightly improved with recent rainfall.
“In Alabama, the specialist over there says that we got some much-needed rain last week across the state to help with only the digging, but it has also helped hold some peanuts and continue maturing some of this younger crop. Most places received 1-2 inches of rain in Alabama.”
Harvest is ahead of last year’s pace:
“They said they are 18% harvested compared to 11% last year.”
Crop conditions vary, with Alabama reporting:
“Conditions are only 1% excellent, 64% good, 26% fair, and 7-9% poor, but that’s in Alabama.”
Audio Reporting by Tyron Spearman for Southeast AgNet.