CAN THE STRANGE CONDITIONS OF 2024 GET ANY STRANGER?

Is the sun setting on dark tobacco? After challenging weather in the field, the dark tobacco growers of Kentucky and Tennessee are facing marketing difficulty as the snuff products that make up their main market lose consumption to alternative smokeless products which don't contain any dark. Learn more at the KY Dark Tobacco Twilight Tour, August 8, 5:30 PM to 8PM, at the West Farm of Murray State University at Robertson Road No., Murray KY. For more information, contact Andy Bailey, 270 625 1560, abailey@uky.edu. Photo of dark plantings near Princeton KY by Andrea Webb, University of Kentucky. JULY CROP REPORT FLUE-CURED North Carolina: This season has been the strangest Matthew Vann has ever experienced. The high (or low) points in the weather calendar were: --30 days of hot/dry weather in April, --30 days of cool and wet weather in May, --30 days in June of what may be the worst drought anyone remembers, --Significant rain since July began. "As dry as we were in June, now we would like the rain to stop,' says Vann, NC Extension tobacco specialist. "I’d guess that most in the Middle and Eastern belt have had more than five inches over the last week. I know of some that will pass a foot." One bit of good news: The N.C. crop rebounded very well from the June conditions. "Through last week I was very pleased with a lot of what I was seeing. I’m now crossing my fingers for drier days. We’re behind in harvest due to the conditions, but I’ve seen good quality lower-stalk tobacco, especially considering what it’s been through." South Carolina: Rains that fell the last two weeks helped fill out leaf in the Pee Dee and other parts of SC, says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “We went from very dry in the month of June, to excessive moisture in most areas now." With that came an increase in Granville wilt and black shank pressure. "Harvest is in full swing across the area, but field conditions have slowed progress. What I've seen coming out of the barn looks good so far," says Hardee. Virginia: After no measurable rain in June or the beginning of July, it finally started raining in the Southside of Virginia after the July 4 holiday, says Stephen Barts, Extension tobacco agent. “There have definitely been good results, and I am hoping that the moisture will help us get where we need to be"...Topping was delayed considerably by the dry weather but the tops are coming out now. As far as Bart knows, no flue-cured has been pulled yet. “But a couple of flue-cured growers plan to start harvest next week.” The area grows dark Virginia tobacco and Connecticut broadleaf. One Connecticut grower cut some broadleaf July 24, which was the first leaf harvest in the Danville area... There have been some problems in Virginia besides drought. --There were two days of strong storms that blew some plants down. --Most of the stalk-cut tobacco (dark and Connecticut) has been irrigated already. --Pressure from soilborne diseases is building up in the field. BURLEY Kentucky: Overall, conditions were steady from last week with no large shifts, says USDA. The state experienced near normal temperatures and above normal rainfall. Many parts of the state received enough rainfall to relieve heat stress on crops. But precipitation in the Central and Bluegrass regions was less prevalent than elsewhere. Thirty five percent of tobacco acres are estimated to be blooming this week (the week ending July 28); 11% of the total acres were being topped...Coming up: KY Bluegrass Tobacco Tour, August 7, 10 AM Eastern Time at the Plant and Soil Sciences Field Lab, 2951 Agronomy Road, Lexington. For more information, contact Bob Pearce, Extension Tobacco Specialist, at (859) 257-5110. Tennessee: Twenty four percent of the tobacco crop had been topped by July 21, says USDA. Many counties finally received between half an inch to an inch of precipitation this week. But despite the rain showers, drought conditions worsened across the state. More counties in the east entered moderate to severe drought. REPORT FROM OVERSEAS Malawi: Market winds up strong. With sales scheduled to end in early August, Malawi farmers had sold 129 million kilograms of tobacco (mostly burley) at Malawian markets in the current crop year. This represents a 7% increase from last year's 120 million kgs but is 11 million kgs less than the 140 million kgs projected in the previous survey in February. “We attribute the difference to rampant illegal cross border trade, persistent dry spells after the second round and post harvest losses,” said the Tobacco Commission of Malawi. Nevertheless, the 2024 Malawi selling season has been one of the best in recent years in view of unprecedented prices and smooth trading, said the commission. “As of July 11, 123.4 million kilograms valued at $367.1 million had been sold at an average price of $2.95 per kg.” The average price for the year before was $2.35/kg on 121 million pounds, according to the commission. In other tobacco news... The economic importance of auction markets and their significance in history will be commemorated in a ceremony at the August 14 opening of the Wilson [NC} Tobacco Market. The ceremony celebrates the 135th anniversary of the Wilson market and will feature remarks by N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, U.S. Congressman Don Davis, and Parker Phillips, who will read a new poem celebrating the institution of tobacco auctioning. The ceremony will be held at the Horizon Limited tobacco warehouse at 1721 Goldsboro St SW, Wilson, starting with breakfast at 7:30. The warehouse will conduct a full-scale auction sale right after the ceremony. There will be a sponsored breakfast will beginning at 7:30 AM with the program starting at 8. For more information, call 252.237.0111.

RAISING TOBACCO IN A SEASON THAT'S BEEN HISTORICALLY DRY

In North Carolina, June was "historically" dry with most farmers reporting less than an inch of rain for the entire month, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “July has been much better, for the most part. We’re by no means out of drought conditions, but a saving rain has fallen in the Middle and Eastern Belts. The upper stalk is now developing quite nicely”…Dry areas still exist, he adds, especially in the Old Belt, which missed a lot of the July rain. Irrigation pumps were kept going there…“I’d estimate that a decent number of growers out east have started cropping. Some started over a month ago. The quality I’ve seen is much better than anticipated”…Given the extreme conditions and later-than-desired planting dates (due to a wet May), N.C. flue-cured is at all stages of growth right now, says Vann. “Some is just being laid by. This will be a late season in those areas. We’ve got a lot of time ahead of us, but the clock is ticking.” A fervent hope: “That the rain doesn’t cut off for another month”...In Kentucky, last week was drier and hotter than normal, affecting all crops, says USDA. Many crops are severely stunted--rainfall would greatly improve conditions, especially in Eastern Kentucky which received very little precipitation from Hurricane Beryl…Twenty-five percent of Kentucky’s tobacco crop is blooming and is in mostly good condition. Topping has begun, but is still in the early stage...Upcoming tobacco events: NC Tobacco Field Day, July 17, 9 AM to 12 PM at Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Rd, Kinston, NC...KY Corn, Soybean and Tobacco Field Day. July 23, 8 AM to 12 AM, at the UK Research & Education Center, 1205 Hopkinsville St., Princeton KY...VA Row Crop Field Day, July 25, 4:30 PM, Southern Piedmont AREC, 2375 Darvills Road, Blackstone, VA. Registration begins at 4:30 PM. Dinner will be served at 5 PM, followed by a tour of tobacco and other field crop research. To register, please visit: https:// tinyurl.com/Crop-Field-Day...KY Dark Tobacco Twilight Tour, August 8, 5:30PM to 8PM, at the West Farm of Murray State University at Robertson Road No., Murray KY. For more information: Call Andy Bailey, 270 625 1560, or email him at abailey@uky.edu...REPORT FROM OVERSEAS ZIMBABWE At the end of June, the tobacco market had achieved 212 million kilograms of tobacco sold, generating a total revenue of $732,248,158 for tobacco farmers. The average price is $3.45 with the highest price at $6.99. Fewer bales have been rejected this year compared to last year. By this time last year, total sales reached 278 million kilograms at an average price of $3.02 per kilogram. The target for the upcoming season is 265 million kg of tobacco, a volume lower than this season’s and much lower than last year's record 297 million kg. This year’s crop was affected by the drought induced by El Nino...BRAZIL The recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s leading tobacco state, resulted in an estimated U$20 million) in losses for nearly two thousand tobacco producers, according to a survey conducted by the Interstate Tobacco Industry Union (SindiTabaco). The loss would certainly have been greater had not the floods occurred during the offseason wnen little if any tobacco was in the field.

Despite heat PROSPECTS STILL GOOD IN GA/FLA

b>> A crowd of more than 70 participants turned out for the 2024 Georgia-Florida Tobacco Tour on June 17, 18 and 19. They saw a crop that still has promise. But there have been some problems, said Georgia Extension tobacco specialist J. Michael Moore. “In places there were straight line winds that knocked over some plants.” Recent rainfall has broken a month long drought just as growers dodge showers to apply sucker control materials..... The news on disease is threatening. “It’s a bad year for tomato spotted wilt,” Moore says. “Up to 30% of our plants are showing symptoms of the disease.” He expects growers will lose 10 to 15% of their yield. A very mild winter and an abundance of alternate hosts may be among the reasons for the high infestation. As if that isn’t enough, black shank is showing up..... Plants have been very irregular in height in Georgia during the dry weather, making timing of sucker control stressful. Growers are encouraged to remove flowers early and control suckers in a timely manner. This is certainly a season when you want as many pounds in the leaf as you can get, says Moore..... Other tours and research days coming up:.....The South Carolina Tobacco Tour, beginning with checkin from 3 to 6 July 9 at the Hotel Florence in Florence. The tour begins at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center Pavilion at 7:45 AM on July 10. Ends after lunch near Loris..... --The NC Tobacco Field Day, June 17, 9 AM to 12 PM at Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Rd, Kinston, NC..... --The KY Corn, Soybean, Tobacco Field Day, at the UK Research & Education Center, 1205 Hopkinsville St., Princeton KY, July 23, 8 AM. For more information--https://wkrec. ca.uky.edu/ events/corn-soybean-tobacco-field-day-0..... Planting is nearly complete for burley and dark: According to USDA, the Kentucky crop (all types) is 95% set with 3% blooming. In Tennessee tobacco (all types) is 91% transplanted with 1% topped. And in North Carolina, burley is 83% planted..... It’s dry in burley and dark country too: Portions of the Bluegrass and Eastern Kentucky are now considered abnormally dry, says USDA, and Tennessee experienced very hot and dry weather last week with minimal rainfall..... Planting is done in South Carolina, Georgia/ Florida and the flue-cured counties of North Carolina. It is hot and dry there too-- Tobacco and vegetable fields without irrigation in Georgia were reported to be in desperate need of rain, said USDA, although the southern half of Georgia received some much-needed rain last week, with areas on the border with Florida receiving the most precipitation..... Splitworm alert: Be on the lookout for tobacco splitworm, says Lorena Lopez, N.C. Extension entomologist. None have been spotted in North Carolina so far, but the weather conditions could set the stage for an outbreak. Splitworm larvae tunnel between the upper and lower surfaces of tobacco leaves, starting from the bottom leaves. Management is difficult. Alert your local Extension agent if you think you have them..... Among other pests that could be a problem, she says:..... There are instances of tomato spotted wilt virus, especially in Johnston County, but the historical 10% incidence has not been surpassed. Tobacco streak virus, which is not often a problem in North Carolina, has made an appearance. It is hard to differentiate from tomato spotted wilt virus. Hornworm was on the increase, but has been reduced after topping. Lopez, a native of Colombia,is new to the NC Extension tobacco team. She joined the N.C. Extension Service and the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology as an assistant extension professor five months ago. She came to the United States to study entomology at the University of Florida, where she earned a doctorate. Lopez’s goal is to empower growers with the tools and knowledge to tackle pest challenges effectively, while promoting environmental sustainability in their agricultural practices.