Peanut Harvest Maturity and Profitability

Summary

Burke County ranked 15th in peanut production in the state for 2019. In 2019, nearly 18,000 acres of peanuts were planted in Burke County. It is critical to dig peanuts when optimal maturity is reached to maximize both the yield and grade of peanuts, which will results in maximizing profits for producers. Burke County Cooperative Extension offers peanut maturity evaluations to area producers to help determine optimum harvest dates for their crop. For the 2019 peanut growing season, the Burke County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent[s] evaluated over 250 samples, respectively, for peanut maturity for area peanut producers.

Situation

Burke County’s chief economic driver is agriculture. Peanuts are one of the major driving forces for the county’s farm gate value of $141,299,000. Burke County ranked 15th in peanut production in the state for 2019. In 2019, nearly 18,000 acres of peanuts were planted in Burke County. The value of a farmer’s peanuts is determined by the grade and yield of the peanuts. Research by scientists with the National Peanut Research lab show digging three weeks too early or too late can result in a 30 percent reduction in yield potential. Premature harvest also reduces the grade of the peanuts. It is critical to dig peanuts when optimal maturity is reached to maximize both the yield and grade of peanuts, which will result in maximizing profits for producers.

Response

Burke County Cooperative Extension offers peanut maturity evaluations to area producers to help determine optimum harvest dates for their crop. Producers will take a representative sample from across a field and bring them to different checkpoints in the county. The Burke County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent will blast peanuts at a different producer’s farm each morning, Monday through Thursday, allowing producers closest to bring their samples to the farm to be checked. The agent asks the producers to bring the whole plant with them in order to evaluate the vine health as they pull a sample of about 200 peanuts. The peanuts are then blasted using a pressure washer and turbo nozzle to remove the outer layer of the hull. The inner layer of the hull is then compared to a profile board to determine relative maturity with respect to days until optimum maturity.

Impact

For the 2019 peanut growing season, the Burke County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent[s] evaluated approximately 257 samples for peanut maturity for area peanut producers. Research by scientists with the National Peanut Research Lab show digging three weeks too early can result in a 30 percent reduction in yield potential. Taking into consideration Burke County’s average peanut yield is 3,950 pounds per acre, potential losses of 1,314 pounds per acre could be realized when producers decide to dig prematurely. Across the 18,000 acres of peanuts harvested from 2019, that is a loss of nearly 24 million pounds with an estimated value of almost 5 million dollars. That equates to about $263 per acre. Based on weather conditions and digging at optimum harvest time, peanut yields were down from 2018. Harvesting peanuts at the proper time, now more than ever, is critical in order to represent clear profit for growers, as no additional input is required other than digging at the right time.

State Issue

Plant Production

Details

• Year: 2020
• Geographic Scope: County
• County: Burke
• Location: College Station, Athens
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources