Columbia, S.C., September 11, 2003: Based on September 1 conditions, yields for the major crops are expected to be above 2002. Yields for corn and soybeans are above the August forecast, however, cotton is below with peanuts and tobacco unchanged from August, the South Carolina Agricultural Statistics Service announced today.

CORN production in 2003 is expected to total 34.2 million bushels, up 9 percent (2.7 million bushels) from last month, and up 186 percent (22.2 million bushels) from last year. Expected yield per acre of 114 bushels is up 9 bushels from the August forecast and up 68 bushels from 2002, and up 6 bushels from the record high of 108 bushels in 2001. Acreage for harvest as grain, at 300,000, is up 40,000 acres from 2002.

FLUE-CURED TOBACCO production, as of September 1, is forecast at 67.2 million pounds. This is unchanged from last month's forecast and up 13 percent from last year's production of 59.5 million pounds. Yield per acre of 2,100 pounds is unchanged from last month, and is 150 pounds above last year. Acreage for harvest, at 32,000, is unchanged from last month and up 1,500 acres from a year ago.

SOYBEAN production this year is forecast at 11.5 million bushels, up 4 percent from last month and up 63 percent from last year. Expected yield per acre of 25 bushels is up 1 bushel from the August estimate, and up 8 bushels from a year ago. Acres for harvest, at 460,000, is up 45,000 acres from a year ago.

COTTON production in 2003 is forecast at 325,000 bales - down 45,000 bales from last month, but up 194,000 bales from last year. Yield per acre is expected to average 719 pounds, down 6 pounds from the August forecast but 405 pounds above the 2002 yield. Acreage for harvest, at 217,000 acres, is up 17,000 from 2002.

PEANUT production is forecast at 57.6 million pounds - unchanged from last month and up 201 percent from a year ago. Yield per acre, at 3,200 pounds is unchanged from August and 1,000 pounds above the 2002 yield. Acreage for harvest, at 18,000, is up 9,300 acres from last year.

For additional information call: Robert A. Graham, State Statistician

James S. Peele, Agricultural Statisitician