Impacts of Hurricane Helene on US Tobacco Production 2024

[deluxestogie]

2024 was a difficult, low-production year for tobacco farmers in the US southeast, before Hurricane Helene struck the area. The link below (2024 OCT 5) discusses the impacts of the hurricane on the various tobacco growing regions. Some areas had already harvested. Some were mostly harvested. Some were caught with prolonged power outage in the midst of flue-curing. The added moisture actually helped the crop in some areas.

Tobacco Farmer Newsletter

modtob.blogspot.com

Bob

EDIT: "One of the tobacco fields used for black shank research in Greene County, TN had about 20 feet of water rushing over top."

 

[deluxestogie]

Season End Numbers

• North Carolina: "...we will end up with a 60% tobacco crop...."
• Virginia: ...we will end up with a 60% tobacco crop.... The burley-producing area of Southwest Virginia survived the floods reasonably well....
• Georgia / Florida: A 55% crop has been predicted.
• Tennessee: There is some concern over quality and yield after damages from the recent storms.
• Kentucky: ...harvest proceeded at a good pace due to the very dry conditions last week (Most parts of the state saw no rainfall at all). By October 13 harvest of tobacco was substantially complete....

USDA: State-by-state, compared to 2023 final:

1. FLUE-CURED: North Carolina--222.3 million pounds, down 14.4%. Virginia--25.8 million pounds, down 14%.
2. BURLEY: Kentucky--50 million pounds, down 11.8% Tennessee—five million pounds, up 18%.
3. FIRE-CURED: Kentucky—13.6 million pounds, down 26.2%. Tennessee—10.3 million pounds, down 33.3%.
4. DARK AIR-CURED: Kentucky--8.3 million pounds, down 8.7%. Tennessee—2.4 million pounds, down 20%.

20 October 2024: https://modtob.blogspot.com/

Bob

 

[Skafidr]

Less tobacco means higher price for the consumer?

 

[deluxestogie]

Only if the demand remains the same or higher.

Bob