Mississippi State, Mississippi
June 30, 2008
Strong market prices and the
ability to cope with less moisture than most crops have
Mississippi’s peanut growers expanding their acreage again this
year.
Peanuts have been increasingly popular since the Farm Bill ended
the quota system in 2002 and allowed farmers to plant as many
acres in peanuts as they wanted.
Mike Howell is the area agronomics agent with
Mississippi State University’s
Extension Service based in Harrison County. He said some growers
are trying peanuts for the first time in 2008, and some previous
growers have expanded their acreage.
“Mississippi will increase acreage again this year to 22,000 to
25,000 acres, up from 18,000 last year,” Howell said. “There is
a lot of new interest in the northeast part of state, in part
because peanuts are one of our most drought-tolerant crops.”
Howell said the state’s growers averaged 3,500 pounds per acre
after last year’s drought, just slightly below previous averages
in the 3,600- to 3,700-pound range. Less than 4 percent of the
state’s peanut crop is irrigated. To date, growers are enjoying
their best start in years.
“Growers also are seeing an exceptional market for peanuts now.
Last year, prices were running around $450 per ton, and this
year they are running in the $500-plus per ton range and are
expected to continue strong,” he said. “Those are the best
prices growers have seen since the quota system ended in 2002.”
Howell said another bonus for north Mississippi growers this
year is the addition of a second buying point for the state in
Aberdeen. The original buying point in Anguilla across in the
Delta is still available.
“A second buying point will keep the peanuts local, reduce
trucking costs and allow growers more time in the fields,” he
said. “It also shows an interest in Mississippi peanuts.”
George County Extension director Mike Steede said the increase
in the cost of freight has kept prices from going up even more.
Shellers often
-- but not always -- have to consider transportation costs when
they price peanuts. Higher fuel costs mean less money available
for the peanuts themselves.
Steede said while strong prices and drought tolerance are
important, a major reason Mississippi growers are attracted to
peanuts is their ability to rotate this crop with cotton.
“There is good money in peanuts, but growers really have to
rotate another crop for a year or two in between peanut
plantings,” Steede said. “While peanuts can cope with less rain
than most other crops, they still need moisture to germinate and
become established early in the growing season and then to fill
out the nuts later.”
Howell said peanuts have had more than normal insect pressure
this year. Specialists are unsure what might be triggering the
increase.
“Growers have sprayed several fields for caterpillar pests, and
we usually try not to spray at all for them or wait until late
fall,” Howell said. “We also have seen alfalfa hoppers and
wireworms. Wireworms are difficult to control because they live
under the soil. They feed on the roots and can feed on the nuts
eventually. A common pest of peanuts, wireworms are more
frequent following a grass crop. The best way to control them is
to put out a pesticide during planting.”
Howell said diseases are not being detected yet. Some of the
earliest peanuts are starting to get fungicide applications to
prevent disease development.
By Linda Breazeale, MSU Ag Communications |
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