By Brad Haire
University of Georgia
Georgia’s tobacco crop looks fair overall. But plant disease
problems and heavy rains in June have hurt some of the fields of
Georgia’s remaining tobacco farmers, says a University of
Georgia specialist.
About 15 percent of Georgia’s tobacco crop has been infected by
the tomato spotted wilt virus, a deadly disease carried by small
insects called thrips, said J. Michael Moore, a tobacco
agronomist with the UGA Extension Service.
But in some fields, as much as 50 percent to 80 percent of the
plants have been hit by this disease.
About 30 percent of the crop last year was infected with this
disease. It contributed to a 15-percent decline in yields.
For the first time since 2000, tobacco mosaic virus has been
widespread in Georgia’s crop, too, Moore said. Some fields have
as much as 30 percent of plants showing symptoms. The disease is
believed to have come from infected seed.
TMV can be found in tobacco products — cigarettes, snuff,
chewing tobacco — and transmitted to plants in fields after
handling these products.
It’s easily spread from plant to plant by tractors and
humans. “One plant could potentially infect millions,” he said.
It is not as bad as TSWV. But it can reduce yields and
quality.
“But the heavy rain has caused more losses than the diseases,”
Moore said.
Parts of south-central Georgia, where much of the state’s
tobacco is grown, have received 8 inches to 10 inches of rain
since June 1, according to the Georgia Automated Environmental
Monitoring Network.
That has been too much rain for tobacco root systems, which need
oxygen to survive. The roots suffocate, preventing water and
nutrients from reaching the tops, which begin to wilt.
The flooded root systems will recover and begin to grow again,
Moore said. But this will cut into yields this year.
Georgia had about 1,000 tobacco farmers in 2004. About half that
many planted tobacco this year, he said. There may be even fewer
next year.
Most Georgia farmers contract directly with tobacco companies
now. Contract prices this year, Moore said, are $1.19 per pound
to a $1.45 per pound.
The costs for electricity, fuel, fertilizers and crop chemicals,
all needed for tobacco production, have gone up as much 20
percent over last year when many of the contracts were made.
It will be tough for some farmers to break even this year with
the current contract prices. Moore expects 10 percent to 15
percent fewer farmers will plant tobacco next year.
But there is still a lot of interest in growing tobacco in
Georgia. A few farmers in southeast Georgia grew it for the
first time this year. And the Georgia Tobacco Tour, sponsored by
the UGA Extension Service, drew 80 participants June 6-8.
The federal government ended the Depression-era tobacco quota
program last fall. Under that program, only a certain amount of
tobacco could be grown each year in the United States. It helped
farmers get consistent prices and guaranteed tobacco companies a
supply.
Through a buyout, tobacco companies will begin this month to pay
$10.14 billion in compensation to U.S. farmers over the next 10
years for the end of the program.
No official numbers have been released, but Georgia farmers are
believed to have planted 19,000 acres of tobacco this year.
