October is traditionally a dry month but it was dry going in to October in many places and where it wasn't it is now.
Harvest continues and non-irrigated peanuts range from virtually not worth picking to surprisingly good based on where they are and how much rain they got. Irrigated peanuts are off a bit from what we would have anticipated.
Quality of the crop based on environmental conditions is somewhat less than recent years. Burrower Bugs, Aspergillus, Lesser Cornstalk Borers, and general weather conditions have combined to present some challenges.
We had the hottest Summer on record in the Georgia Peanut Belt. Also, there was prolonged drought in many of our peanut counties.
Many grades have been reported to be lower than recent years. Farmers report multiple crops on the vines which makes determining harvest time more difficult. Also, many pods have a blank where a peanut should be, most likely due to excessive heat.
So with all this said could there possibly be any good news?
Well, it has been said that God looks out for fools and little children...Early in this season many in the industry lamented the ills of a surplus of peanuts...I think that has been taken care of this year...question is, which are we? Fools or little children!
With the surplus depleted and cotton prices very strong for next year peanut prices will have to increase sharply if farmers are going to plant peanuts in 2011 and the market should be such to be able to afford stronger prices to the grower. For growers who survive this year that is all good news.
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