Huge increase in Georgia peanut exports
Peanut experts say they saw about 80 percent of the average annual exports in just the first five months of the this year.
They say last year's record peanut crop created a large surplus and contributed to the exporting increase.
And, with an overall increase in global exporting over the last five years, they're hoping Georgia can become more prominent in international markets.
"These other years we've had low production, about 10 and 12 crops, and we just didn't have enough to export," says Georgia Peanut Commission Rodney Dawson. "But with the volume we had this past year, I think a lot of countries have come and turned to the US to look for quality, top quality peanuts."
Dawson says Chinese import tariffs have decreased exports, but he says other countries have been ordering enough to pick up the slack.
He says heavy rains have made it difficult for peanut farmers this year but they say it's a little too early to determine what the 2013 yield will be.
Source: walb.com
