HARRISBURG, Pa. — Based on May 1 conditions, Pennsylvania’s 2008 production of winter wheat is expected to be 23 percent above 2007.
Final total tobacco production figures for 2007 were up 6 percent from 2006.
May 1 hay stocks are estimated to be down 4 percent from a year ago, according to the Pennsylvania office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Winter wheat
Winter wheat harvested acreage is forecast at 190,000, which is up 35,000 acres from last year. Based on the condition of the crop as of May 1, yield is forecast at 58 bushels per acre, unchanged from last year’s final yield. This results in a production of 11,020,000 bushels, compared to the 2007 final production of 8,990,000 bushels.
Total 2007 tobacco production for Pennsylvania was 17,200,000 pounds.
Southern Maryland type acres harvested were 1,100 with an average yield per acre of 2,100 pounds and a production of 2,310,000 pounds.
Pennsylvania seedleaf type acres harvested were 1,800 with an average yield of 2,300 pounds per acre and production of 4,140,000 pounds. The total value of this seedleaf tobacco crop was set at $6.83 million.
Light air-cured burley tobacco acres harvested were 5,000 with an average yield per acre of 2,150 pounds and a resulting production of 10,750,000 pounds valued at $17.7 million.
Hay
Hay stocks on Pennsylvania farms as of May 1 totaled 500,000 tons, compared to 520,000 tons last May 1, and 410,000 tons May 1, 2006.
