RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has announced that production reports show large increases in projected yields for cotton and peanuts.
The announcement came after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) September Crop Production, showed increases in a variety of ways for the state.
“Scattered rains in August provided enough moisture to improve yield prospects,” said Herman Ellison, Virginia state statistician with NASS. “Cotton, peanut and soybean yield forecasts all increased from last month.”
NASS gathered data for the September Agricultural Yield Survey earlier this month.
The monthly yield surveys begin in May with the focus on small grains through July and shifts to row crops beginning in August through the remainder of the growing season.
“Thank you to all the farmers for taking time to complete the September Agricultural Yield Survey,” Ellison said. “We appreciate your efforts during the busy growing season.”
According to NASS and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, crop totals for soybeans and flue-cured tobacco also saw production growth.
Below are a variety of projected yield for Virginia crops:
Virginia cotton production is projected to be 190,000 bales, up 23 percent from the August forecast and up 90 percent from 2016. Cotton yields are forecast to average 1,099 pounds per acre, up 94 pounds from last month and up 432 pounds per acre from the previous year. Producers expect to harvest 83,000 acres, up 9,000 acres from the August forecast and up 11,000 acres from 2016. Cotton bolls opening is 19 percent as of Sept. 3, up slightly from last week and last year at 10 percent and 17 percent, respectively.
Source: http://wtkr.com