It’s getting difficult in the farming area now.
The war in Iran is creating some big issues on freight rates and fuel surcharges, not counting the increases in energy and fueling a spike in fertilizer prices and also cotton because of the rise and they said the price is a polyester. The cotton market is booming again. Inflation risks are elevated which could possibly be beneficial to the peanut industry if people will switch to planting cotton and along with planting their peanuts.
The export market on peanuts has been showing a downward trend for the last three years. Farmers are trying to get that improved. Shipments are up for the whole six-month period or seven months 3.1 percent.
The exports in 2025 dropped almost 30% during that time, mainly with Canada and Mexico taking the drop of about 22%. The comeback has come from China. China is welcome to come into the market and buy some more peanuts.
They need more for their people, so they’re buying peanuts and converting it into peanut oil. Now the increases are also noted in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Denmark. But they have to watch the ship movements.
Bringing them in is costing farmers more. Sending it out is causing trouble into the countries that want to consume our peanuts.
Audio Reporting by Tyron Spearman for Southeast AgNet.