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.