Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 27, 1994 TAG: 9401270078
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WASHINGTON - Cigarette makers plan to buy 324 million pounds of 1994 crop burley tobacco, 37 million pounds less than in the previous crop year, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.
Data on intended purchases and average annual exports help determine the annual marketing quota for 1994. The 1994 quota will be announced Feb. 1.
The department said annual burley exports for 1991, 1992 and 1993 averaged 183.8 million pounds, down 22 million pounds from the 1990-1992 average. - Associated Press
\ Freeze cost state much of peach crop
WINCHESTER - Fruit growers and horticulturists are still assessing damage, but they say recent subzero temperatures destroyed part of the state's peach crop.
Dr. Ross Byers, a professor of horticulture at the Winchester Fruit Research Laboratory, has a bleak outlook for the fruit in his part of the state, where a large share of Virginia's peaches are grown.
"To be quite honest, I think we've lost our peach crop," Byers said, noting he has taken samples from peach trees of several varieties and found no live buds.
Robinson said peach buds generally can't hold up under temperatures much colder than 5 below zero. He said farms in Frederick County and surrounding areas experienced temperatures last week as low as 20 degrees below.
Rich Marini, an extension fruit specialist at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, said damage to the peach crop may not be as extensive as it appears.
"Sometimes you get fooled," je said. "I've done cuttings of peach trees after really cold weather and found no live buds and thought the crop was a total loss; then a decent crop is produced."
Virginia produces about 700,000 bushels of peaches a year, Marini said. About 350,000 bushels are grown in the northern region of the state. - Associated Press
\ Maker offers parts for falling fans
WASHINGTON - The Casablanca Fan Co. is offering repair parts for ceiling fans that could separate from their mountings and fall from the ceiling. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said more than 3 million fans could be involved.
Fans with a ball and canopy mounting system, sold nationwide, are affected, the company said. It said the fans were made between January 1981 and September 1993.
Owners of the fans can determine whether their fan is involved by calling the company at (800) 390-3131 and giving the model number and serial number, which are on the metal nameplate of the fan. - Associated Press
by CNB