J. Michael Moore, University of Georgia Extension Agronomist-Tobacco
- Georgia Tobacco Market
Report
- Georgia Tobacco Warehouse
Ranking
- Georgia Weather
- Crop Status
- Disease and Insect Losses
- MH Residues
According to the USDA AMS Tobacco Market News Service for the week ending OCTOBER 1, 1998, a strong demand was shown for Georgia-Florida flue-cured tobacco, during the eleventh week of auctions. A vast majority of bid averages were steady to a few dollars higher, and desirability of offerings improved. Volume was heavy at most points, and the percentage of tobacco placed under loan was the lowest so far this season. Based on the effective quota, around 77 percent of the 1998 Type 14 crop has been auctioned.
Gross sales by States and Type follow:
| State/Type | Weekly Pounds | Weekly Average | Season Pounds | Season Average |
| Florida | 1,664,374 | $181.17 | 15,753,133 | $168.13 |
| Georgia | 9,688,551 | $181.58 | 81,103,905 | $168.75 |
| Total Type 14 | 11,352,925 | $181.52 | 96,857,038 | $168.65 |
The weekly general average of $181.52 per hundred was up $1.48 from the previous week. During the first 41 sales days last year, 107.5 million pounds had averaged $170.77 per hundred. This week's resales totaled 1,116,669 pounds, raising the season's figure to 9,877,709 pounds.
Bid averages for ripe leaf and smoking leaf grades were steady to $2 higher, and brought from $183 to $187 per hundred. Unripe leaf marketings were up $3 to $4 in most cases, and sold between $177 and $184 per hundred. Only 15 percent of sales recorded losses, and they were associated with nondescript and light volume lugs.
Marketings were more desirable this week, as less unripe tobacco passed across warehouse floors. Maturity percentages were as follow: mellow - 15; ripe - 61; mature - 1; unripe - 17, and immature 1 percent. About 95 percent of all auctions came from the leaf (B) and smoking leaf (H) groups, with 4 percent labeled as nondescript (N).
Fair quality and better tobacco accounted for 61 percent of sales, but a relatively high 34 percent was classed as low quality. The majority of ripe tobacco placed in "F" and "K" colors, while unripe offerings were in "KF" and "KM" grades.
Much less tobacco was delivered to the Flue-Cured Stabilization Corporation. For the week, only 1.8 million pounds (2.2 percent of gross sales) were placed into the program from all belts, raising the total for the season to 78.0 million pounds (11.4 percent).
At the same point last year, 93.9 million pounds (13.5 percent) had been placed under loan. Weekly percentages of loan receipts, by type, were: Type 11 - 1.3; Type 12 - 0.8; Type 13 - 5.6 and Type 14 - 3.0 percent.
GA/FL growers placed just 3.0 percent of sales into the Stabilization Corporation this week, lowering the season take to 8.6 percent. At the same juncture last year, loan receipts amounted to 6.6 percent of gross sales.
Auction bid averages per hundred pounds on several U. S. grades and comparisons follow:
| U.S. Grade | Auction Bid | Change from Previous Week | Change from Previous Year |
| B4F | $187 | Up $1 | Up $2 |
| B5F | $186 | Up $2 | Up $4 |
| B3K | $186 | Up $1 | Up $1 |
| B4K | $185 | Up $1 | Up $1 |
| B5K | $183 | Up $2 | Up $1 |
| B4KR | $183 | Up $1 | Unchanged |
| B4KF | $182 | Up $4 | Up $2 |
| B5KF | $177 | Up $3 | Down $1 |
| B4KM | $184 | Up $3 | Up $2 |
| H4F | $187 | Unchanged | Up $1 |
| H4K | $186 | Unchanged | Up $1 |
| H5K | $185 | Up $1 | Up $2 |
| http://www.ams.usda.gov/marketnews.htm | |||
During the eleventh week of sales, the highest average price for the week was found at Farmers Warehouse on the Blackshear Market with an average price of $186.44 per hundredweight. Second highest was Big Z also on the Blackshear Market with an average of $185.57 per hundredweight. Third highest for the week was Farmers Tobacco Warehouse on the Claxton Market with an average of $185.17 per hundredweight. Farmers Warehouse in Blackshear had the highest average price for the season of $173.44 per hundredweight.
As of October 4, 1998, essentially all of the tobacco in Georgia has been harvested. Tobacco auctions were delayed for short periods due to overcast skies after hurricane Georges was downgraded to a tropical depression and moved across northern Georgia.
http://www.nass.usda.gov/weather/cpcurr/ga-crop-weather
The Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service Farm Report September 16, 1998, Forecast (http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/) predicts average yields of 2,000 pounds per acre amounting to 84 million pounds. This is 75 pounds per acre below the 1997 average yield. Planted acreage is estimated at 42,000 acres. As of October 6, 1998, with another 10 days before Georgia markets are due to close, 77,078,562 net pounds had been marketed in Georgia. This is only 16 million pounds short of the effective quota of 93,710,106 pounds. Earlier in the season, UGA Extension Service predicted production for the season to be 15 to 20 percent short of the effective quota. It appears that the statewide as well as average per acre yields may be greater than expected and that production may be closer to 95 percent of effective quota. Costs of production were higher in 1998 due primarily to increased irrigation required for the season. Grower profits are expected to be lowered as a result.
The Georgia tobacco crop suffered mainly from blue mold, black shank and tomato spotted wilt virus. Blue mold was reported on 5,409 acres with an estimated loss of 1 to 1.5 percent on this acreage. This translates to about a 0.2 percent loss over the state. Black shank was scattered and cost the state approximately 1 to 2 percent of production. Tomato spotted wilt virus cost about eight percent of stand and possibly one percent of potential yield. Rhizoctonia and pythium were present in the transplanted crop early, but did not cause the same level of losses as in 1997. Foliar diseases increased late in the season as tobacco suffered from heat and frequent rainfall. Overall statewide losses from all of these diseases were not significant.
Budworm, splitworms and hornworms were all found to infest the 1998 Georgia tobacco crop at greater levels than in any recent year. Budworms were earlier and in greater numbers than found in the last two years. The cost of thrips control was much higher in 1998 than before due to increased use of Admire. However, Admire is credited with much of the reduction of TSWV levels from those in 1997. Approximately 80 percent of the Georgia tobacco crop was treated with Admire. Also, fewer flea beetles and aphids were observed in this crop with Admire also given credit for these reductions. Wireworms and mole crickets were about the same as most years due to routine preventative chemical applications. Splitworms were found earlier and in greater numbers than ever before. In plotwork, less splitworms were observed in young transplants treated with Orthene in the transplant water. Splitworms were also found in the crop later and in greater numbers in the upper crop than ever before. Previous work indicates control is possible with maximum leaf coverage with Lannate and a penetrant surfactant. Hornworms were also at high numbers and farmer testimonies and chemical companiy comments include the possibility of chemical resistance to one or more of the labeled chemical controls.
MH residues continued to be higher for samples reported last week. With 324 samples analyzed for the season MH residue levels are averaging 143 ppm across all belts. Georgia-Florida type 14 is averaging 216 ppm, South Carolina type 13 stands at 164 ppm, North Carolina border belt type 13 is averaging 194 ppm, eastern North Carolina belt type 12 averaging 143 ppm, Middle belt Virginia type 11B is averaging 135 ppm, Old belt North Carolina type 11 has 33 ppm, and Old belt Virginia type 11 is averaging 46 ppm.
