Nut Talk

U.S. PEANUT CROP UPDATE – From National Agricultural Statistics Service as of October 15, USA peanut crop is rated as 5% Very Poor, 19% Poor, 39% Fair, 32% Good and 5% Excellent. Last year on this same date, the crop was rated 2% Very Poor, 8% Poor, 37% Fair, 46% Good and 7% Excellent. Crop is 36% harvested compared to 46% last year and 55% 5-yr average.

STATE
ITEM
Oct 15, 2006
PREV. WEEK
Oct 15, 2005
5-YEAR AVG.

GEORGIA
Peanuts Dug
53%
38%
69%
78%

Peanuts Combined
40%
26%
52%
61%

Conditions
9% VP, 21% Pr
37% Fair
28% Good
5% Excellent

Soil Moisture (State)
31%Very Short
44% Short
25% Adequate
0% Surplus

Continued dry weather has been detrimental to late planted peanuts, including irrigated fields. Peg strength has been weak as a result of summer heat and drought. Yields and grades have been low. Lack of soil moisture has made digging difficult in some fields.

ALABAMA
Peanuts Dug
36%
21%
70%
78%

Peanuts Combined
25%
12%
47%
65%

Conditions
7% VP, 34% Pr
37% Fair
20% Good
2% Excellent

Soil Moisture
31% Very Short
47% Short
22% Adequate
0% Surplus

Peanut harvest continued at a rapid pace during the past week. Cool dry weather is not helping late peanuts finish maturing. Hard, dry ground is making digging difficult.

FLORIDA
Peanuts Harvested
42%
29%
65%
76%

Conditions
0%VP, 36% Poor
35% Fair
28% Good
1% Excellent

Soil Moisture
35% Very Short
45% Short
20% Adequate
0% Surplus

Another week of dry weather has not helped harvest. Peanut fields continue to suffer in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula areas. Without rain, late-planted peanut crop will not mature. Hardened soils make digging difficult with some peanuts losing pods in some Panhandle areas.

MISSISSIPPI
Peanuts Harvested
60%
42%
-
-

Conditions
0% VP, 2% P
28% Fair
59% Good
11% Excellent

Soil Moisture
26% Very Short
42% Short
32% Adequate
0% Surplus

No rain and good weather conditions allowed for harvesting all week.

N. CAROLINA
Conditions
1% VP, 1% Poor
21% Fair
71% Good
6% Excellent

Harvested
45%
23%
43%
51%

Soil Moisture
2% Very Short
18% Short
75% Adequate
5% Surplus

Below average temperatures for the week while peanut harvesting continued.

S. CAROLINA
Conditions
1% VP, 2% Poor
35% Fair
58% Good
4% Excellent

Harvested
44%
34%
49%
54%

Soil Moisture
4% Very Short
32% Short
61% Adequate
3% Surplus

No report available.

VIRGINIA
Conditions
0% VP, 13% Poor
34% Fair
43% Good
10% Excellent

Peanuts Combined
39%
35%
47%
46%

Soil Moisture
3% Very Short
9% Short
75% Adequate
13% Surplus

No report available.

OKLAHOMA
Conditions
3%VP, 9% Poor
36% Fair
45% Good
7% Excellent

Mature
83%
74%
90%
89%

Peanuts Dug/Combined
32% / 14%
12% / 3%
42% / 26%
43% / 27%

Top Soil Moisture
40% Very Short
32% Short
25% Adequate
3% Surplus

Recent rain was beneficial to producers but too late to make a difference for some crops. Peanuts dug and harvested jumped ahead this week although still behind normal.

TEXAS
Conditions
1%VP, 5% Poor
49% Fair
33% Good
12% Excellent

Harvested
27%
16%
20%
22%

Soil Moisture (WT)
17% Very Short
26% Short
48% Adequate
9% Surplus

Despite rainy conditions in the Southern High Plains, some producers dug and threshed peanuts. Growers also dug peanuts in South Texas. Peanut condition statewide was mostly good to fair.