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.