Virginia Crop Estimates Drop, National Averages Above 2007

Source from:  Tobaccofarmquarterly.com Nov 7, 2008 11/17/2008

Dry conditions in August have caused the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Virginia field office to revise its tobacco forecast downward. Cotton and soybean yields were also re-forecast down, while corn and peanut yields went unchanged. The burley forecast is now 1,700 pounds an acre, down from 1,970 pounds an acre last season. Total production is now forecast at 3.6 million pounds from 2,100 acres, down from 2007s' 4.3 million pounds from 2,200 acres. Flue-cured tobacco yields are unchanged at 2,300 pounds an acre, and totaling at 41.4 million pounds from 18,000 acres. Fire-cured tobacco yield is projected at 2,000 pounds an acre with production forecast at a million pounds from 500 acres. All U.S. tobacco production is forecast now to be at 815 million pounds, up two percent from last month and up four percent from 2007. The estimate of total acres harvested is at 356,040 acres, up two percent from August 1. National yield estimates are at 2,289 pounds an acre, nearly 100 pounds over last year. National flue-cured estimates are over 520 million pounds, three percent above both last year's estimate and the previous 2008 forecast. Growers are harvesting 226,500 acres of flue-cured tobacco, with yields averaging 2.295 pounds per acre, 36 pounds above 2007. Enditem