U.S. peanut farmers have reported their acreage now on all the major crops, and USDA published a report this week.
They’re showing that overall, the corn production or grain is forecast at 16 billion bushels. That’s down six percent from 25 and should be the second highest production on record. If realized, based on the conditions right now, the average yield is forecast on corn of 180 bushels per acre on average, but that is down 5.8 bushels per acre compared to last year.
Soybeans, soybean production for beans is forecast at 4.52 billion bushels. That’s up six percent from last year. Based on the conditions as of August 1st, average yield should be about 52.7 bushels per acre, and that is down three-tenths of a bushel from compared to last year.
How about all cotton? All cotton is forecast at 13.6 million 480-pound bales. That’s down two percent from last year. Based on conditions right now, the average yield is forecast at 798 pounds per acre harvested, and that’s down 54 pounds per acre from last year.
Overall peanuts, they say, are down 27 percent overall, and not only in planted acres, but in yield coming out this coming year, there will be fewer peanuts available to the market.
Audio Reporting by Tyron Spearman for Southeast AgNet.