Georgia Peanut Crop Strains Under Dry Weather

According to the Georgia Farm Bureau, this peanut season has turned into a real rollercoaster. University of Georgia Extension Peanut Agronomist Scott Monfort says the crop looked strong early on, but by mid-August the rain just quit falling across much of South Georgia’s peanut belt.

“We’ve been without rain in a large part of Georgia since August 22 and some parts since August 19,” Monfort explained during the Georgia Peanut Tour earlier this month. And that lack of moisture is hitting dryland peanuts the hardest. He says half to 60 percent of the non-irrigated crop is struggling, while the state’s irrigated acres — about 55 percent of the total — still look promising.

Irwin County grower Randy Bryan even started digging his dryland peanuts early. “These peanuts aren’t ready to dig. They really needed another week,” Bryan said, but with fields burning up around him, he harvested to save what he could.

According to Monfort, it’s been three rough growing years for peanuts, and it’s hitting growers hard.

For more from the Georgia Farm Bureau, visit https://www.gfb.org/news/ag-news/post/drought-threatens-georgia-peanut-crop-as-it-enters-home-stretch