According to USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service, U.S. peanut growers intend to plant 1.54 million acres in 2018, down 18 percent from 2017. USDA reported that the expectation of higher prices for competing commodities is contributing to the expected decrease in peanut acres compared with last year.
In Georgia, expected planted area is down 14 percent from 2017 as producers intend to plant 720,000 acres. If realized, the planted area would be the least amount since 2014 when producers planted 1,309,000 acres.
Survey Parameters
The acreage estimates are based primarily on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March. The Prospective Plantings report is a probability survey that includes a sample of approximately 83,300 farm operators selected from a list of producers that ensures all operations in the United States have a chance to be selected. Data from operators was collected by mail, internet, telephone or personal interview to obtain information on crop acreage intentions for the 2018 crop year. The estimates are intended to reflect grower intentions as of the survey period.
New acreage estimates will be made based on surveys conducted in June when crop acreages have been established or planting intentions are firm. These new estimates will be published in a Planted Acreage report scheduled for June 30, 2018.
Dialing It In In Arkansas
All states except Arkansas and Oklahoma intend to plant fewer acres of peanuts this year, with most states reducing acreage by about 15 percent.
Travis Faske, Extension plant pathologist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, who also serves as the peanut specialist for the state’s producers, explains why Arkansas’ peanut growers intend to hold steady at 30,000 acres.
“We came off a record-high year of 5,040 pounds per acre across the state, which was the highest among all peanut-producing states. Although the generic cotton base revision has some states predicting fewer acres in 2018, this revision has not had a major impact in the interest of peanut production in Arkansas.”
Cotton Is The Buzz
Growers across the Cotton Belt are expecting to increase all cotton planted acreage, with the exception of Louisiana, Mississippi and Virginia. Both Georgia and Texas, the largest cotton-producing states, expect to plant the highest upland cotton acreage since 2011. Kansas upland planted area is expected to be a record high, if realized, and Oklahoma planted area is expected to be the highest since 1961.
Overall, producers intend to plant 13.5 million acres in 2018, up 7 percent from last year. Upland area is expected to total 13.2 million acres, up 7 percent from 2017.
Other Major Crops
Corn planted area for all purposes in 2018 is estimated at 88 million acres, down 2 percent or 2.14 million acres from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is expected to be down or unchanged in 33 of the 48 estimating states.
Soybean planted area for 2018 is estimated at 89.0 million acres, down 1 percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage intentions are down or unchanged in 20 of the 31 estimating states.
All wheat planted area for 2018 is estimated at 47.3 million acres, up 3 percent from 2017. This represents the second lowest all wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919. PG
