According to USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service, U.S. peanut growers intend to plant 1.45 million acres in 2019, up 2 percent from 2018’s harvest numbers. In 2018, peanut growers planted 1.5 million acres, which was the lowest planted area since 2014, but weather-related events, including two hurricanes in the peanut belt, took its toll on the crop.
For 2019, planting area in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas are expected to increase, while Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico and North Carolina are expected to decrease moderately. South Carolina’s producers report a more significant decrease in acres to about half of what was planted in 2017. In Georgia, according to the NASS report, producers are expected to plant an area that is up 1 percent from 2018.
Corn Up, Soybeans Down
Corn planted area for all purposes in 2019 is estimated at 92.8 million acres, up 4 percent or 3.66 million acres from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is expected to be up or unchanged in 34 of the 48 estimating states.
Soybean planted area for 2019 is estimated at 84.6 million acres, down 5 percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is down or unchanged in 26 of the 29 estimating states.
Record Low In Wheat
All wheat planted area for 2019 is estimated at 45.8million acres, down 4 percent from 2018. This represents the lowest all wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919. The 2019 winter wheat planted area, at 31.5 million acres, is down 3 percent from last year but up 1 percent from the previous estimate.
Of this total, about 22.4 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 5.55 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.55 million acres are White Winter. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2019 is estimated at12.8 million acres, down 3 percent from 2018. Of this total, about 12.4 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. Durum planted area for 2019 is estimated at 1.42 million acres, down 31 percent from the previous year.
Cotton Up Slightly
All cotton planted area for 2019 is estimated at 13.8 million acres, 2 percent below last year. Upland area is estimated at 13.5 million acres, down 2 percent from 2018. American Pima area is estimated at 255,000 acres, up 2 percent from 2018.
Compared with last year, seven states are expecting an increase in planted area, with the largest increase in Arkansas. Upland cotton planted area in Kansas, at 170,000 acres, will be a record high if realized. Compared with 2018, eight states are expected to plant fewer Upland cotton acres in 2019, including California. If realized, Upland cotton planted area will be a record low in California.
