Rainfall has been below average with the continuation of the two year long drought. Scattered showers five weeks ago helped to wet the soil enough to cause the crop to gain access to the fertilizer and grow off much better than it looked like at one time. Some areas received as much as six inches while others still have not received much over an inch. Since then the showers have been less frequent and the soils have dried significantly. Soil moisture is still only adequate to short.
Additional rainfall is needed.
Some of the western most production areas are still 13 to 15 inches behind normal rainfall for the season. Most of the production area has received 4 to 9 inches of rain during the last two weeks of June and most tobacco has grown quite extensively during this time. Prospects for a good crop look much greater after rainfall. Topping and harvest have been delayed for approximately two weeks beyond normal. Practically 100 percent of the Georgia tobacco crop has been topped and at least 75 percent of the crop has been harvested a minimum of one time.