How much tobacco did you grow this season?

The National Agricultural Statistics Service of USDA released its October Production Report Wednesday October 12, 2011. The report--based on USDA's October 1 survey--showed:  Flue-cured tobacco production is expected to be 383 million pounds, one percent above the September forecast but down from 451 million pounds in 2010. Producers were able to salvage more production in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene than expected, leading to the small improvement since September, the report said. Burley production is forecast at 173 million pounds, up two percent from the previous month but down from 187 million pounds last season. In Kentucky, curing conditions improved in September after a very hot and dry summer. Virginia growers reported better yields than previously expected. Fire-cured tobacco production is forecast at 52.4 million pounds, one percent above last month's forecast and up considerably from the 48 million pounds produced in 2010. Tennessee growers reported that the dark fire-cured crop fared well due to irrigation.  Dark air-cured tobacco is forecast at 15.6 million pounds, up two percent from the September forecast and roughly the same as last season. As of October 2, the Kentucky dark-air-cured tobacco harvest was 92 percent complete, which is slightly ahead of previous year.  Cigar type production is forecast at 7.71 million pounds, down 16 percent from the previous forecast and down considerably from the nearly 10 million pounds of 2010, while Southern Maryland production is forecast at 6.15 million pounds, down 7 percent from last month and up from nearly five million pounds lasts season.  For further details, see http://www.nass.usda.gov.