UGA Tobacco -- Tobacco Hotline May 26, 1999

Although most heavy volume grade bid averages improved during the sixth week of Georgia-Florida flue-cured tobacco auctions, buyers continued to be selective as indicated by the high percentage of loan receipts. No change was noted in quality, but maturity was less desirable. This week's volume of sales was the heaviest so far this season. Due to the Federal holiday, no sales are scheduled for next Monday, but auctions will resume Tuesday, September 7.

Approximately 40 percent of the 1999 Type 14 effective quota has been sold at auction.

Gross Sales by States and Type follow:

State / Type	Weekly Pounds	Weekly Average	Season Pounds	Season Average
Florida	1,518,447	$180.81	8,527,392	$164.15
Georgia	7,393,292	$176.23	30,980,239	$160.43
Total	8,911,739	$177.01	39,507,631	$161.23

The general average for the week was $177.01 per hundred, a gain of $5.90 from the previous week. For the same number of sales days (23) last year, 40.3 million pounds had sold for $153.46 per hundred.

Bid averages for ripe leaf and smoking leaf grades were steady to $2 higher, and brought from $179 to $186 per hundred. Unripe leaf marketings were up $4 to $10 in most cases, and sold between $166 and $183 per hundred. Around 31 percent of sales recorded losses; however, they were mainly concentrated on the lighter volume lower stalk offerings. A comparison of bales to sheets showed leaf (B) bales bringing $2 to $6 more, with the larger increases centered on unripe grades.

This week's sales consisted of more unripe and leaf tobacco. From a maturity standpoint, mellow tobacco made up 4 percent of all auctions, ripe 44, mature 1, unripe 45 (up 11 points), and immature 3 percent. Leaf (B) tobacco rose 26 points to make up 73 percent of sales. Cutters (C) slipped to 8 percent, and lugs (X) dropped to 10 percent.

By quality, fair offerings dominated sales at 67 percent, followed by low at 18, good 10, and poor quality 2 percent.

Loan receipts continued their upward trend, as 15.0 percent of sales was placed into the loan program this week. So far this season, 8.2 percent has been accepted by the Flue-Cured Stabilization Corporation, compared to 10.4 percent at the same point last year.

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	$186	Unchanged	Up $1
B4K	$184	Unchanged	Up $3
B5K	$179	Unchanged	Up $1
B4KR	$185	Up $2	Up $5
B4KF	$176	Up $7	Up $3
B5KF	$166	Up $10	Down $2
B3KM	$183	Up $1	Up $5
B4KM	$180	Up $4	Up $4
B5KM	$176	Up $8	Up $5
C4KM	$171	Up $5	Up $2
X4F	$166	Unchanged	Unchanged
X4KM	$156	Up $4	Unchanged

The Flue-Cured Stabilization Corporation received 10.6 million pounds for the week, or 19.0 percent of gross sales. For the season-to-date, 30.9 million pounds, or 12.2 percent, have been placed under loan. This compared to 45.0 million pounds, or 15.8 percent, at the same point last season. Weekly percentages of loan receipts, by type, follow: Type 11 - 11.8; Type 12 - 14.7; Type 13 - 39.4; and Type 14 - 15.0 percent.

The Daily Market Average as well as the percent going under loan can be found at the following web site which is updated by The Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corporation.

According to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service, scattered showers week before last provided temporary relief for many counties, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Soil moisture conditions improved as 56 percent of the soils had short to very short topsoil moisture, down from 81 percent the previous week.

According to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service and County Agent estimates, as of August 29, 88 percent of the Georgia Tobacco Crop had been harvested compared to 75 percent this time last year and 90 percent as an average of the last five years.

During the fifth week of sales, the highest average price for the week was found at Farmer's Warehouse on the Blackshear Market with an average price of $179.44 per hundredweight. Second highest was Brick Tobacco Warehouse on the Vidalia Market with an average of $178.20 per hundredweight. Third highest for the week was Big Z & Planters Warehouse on the Blackshear Market with an average of $177.49 per hundredweight. The Blackshear Market had the highest average price for the fifth week with an average of $178.30 per hundredweight. Through the fifth marketing week the Blackshear Market had the highest average price at $163.80 per hundredweight.

As of the August 27, 1999 MH residue report, with 71 samples analyzed for the Tobacco Industry Leadership Group MH residue levels average 92 ppm across all belts. Georgia-Florida type 14 is averaging 108.21 ppm. South Carolina type 13 stands at 95 ppm. North Carolina border belt type 13 is averaging 83 ppm. North Carolina Eastern belt type 12 is averaging 88 ppm. North Carolina Old Belt type 11 is averaging 23 ppm. Reports from Virginia Old Belt are yet to be released from the laboratory.

Thank you for visting the Georgia Tobacco Hotline, presented by the University of Georgia Extension Tobacco Team and brought to you by the makers of Orthene 97 granular insecticide with reduced dust and reduced odor.

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