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Drought Crop Loss
The 1963 drought has reduced the value of 18 key Virginia crops by an estimated $79,611,000, Agriculture Commissioner Richard D. Chumney has announced.
“This is not only a financial burden to the farmer,” he said, “but it will have profound affect on Virginia’s total economy.
“It is of deep concern to the farm supplier, the processor, the state’s banking interests and all elements of the industry of agriculture,” he declared.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture compiled this figure based on October 1 crop estimates and the best price information available. It compared this year’s crop value with that of 1962. These estimates were made on crops and do not include livestock.
The Department is making futher evaluation of livestock losses.
Virginia’s total crop value in 1962 was $320,286,000 and this year’s crop value is estimated to be $240,675,000. This is a reduction of 25 per cent.
The lack/if rain has severely reduced all crops in Virginia with only .isolated areas being included.
Corn production is down 51 per cent from last year; hay production is down 55 per cent; and soybeans are down 23 per cent.
Tobacco, Virginia’s leading money crop, was also hit hard this year. Flue-cured tobacco production is off 22 per cent; fire-cured, 17 per cent; suncured; 14 per cent and Burley tobacco is reported off 3 per cent. Today’s report includes only the crop value, but livestock production has been drastically affected by the drought. The reduction of hay yields and the lack of pastures has caused a number of dairymen and cattlemen to reduce their herds or, in some areas, to be forced out of business.
91.8%