The eradication of the boll weevil and increased world demand for cotton has renewed interest in cotton production in North Carolina. In 2000, North Carolina's cotton crop totaled a record high 1.44 million bales. In recent years, the trend has been to plant more cotton, and in 2000 harvested acreage rose to 925,000. Soybeans Soybeans became an important crop in North Carolina around 1924 when about 75,000 acres were harvested. Acreage peaked in 1982 with 2.1 million acres.
Soybeans remain an important commodity in North Carolina, and acreage has stabilized.
In 2000, 1.36 million acres were harvested. The 2000 yield per acre averaged 33 bushels,10 bushels above the previous year. Corn Corn has been produced in most of North Carolina throughout history, with estimates of production starting in 1866. That year 1,675,000 acres were planted with a average yield of only 9.5 bushels per acre. Corn acreage peaked in 1899 with 2,720,000 acres planted, and has continued to decrease since that date.