The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, July 9, 1994                 TAG: 9407090215
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: RALEIGH                            LENGTH: Short :   34 lines

TOBACCO CROP LOOKING GOOD, AG OFFICIAL REPORTS

This year's flue-cured tobacco harvest could be one of the best in recent years if the weather holds up, a state agriculture official said Friday.

Harvesting already has begun in the southern part of the state, said Carl Sofley, tobacco administrator for the state Department of Agriculture.

The Border Belt market opens July 26, with the Eastern Belt following the next day. The Middle and Old Belts open Aug. 2.

``At this point, I think the crop itself looks very good - much, much better than last year,'' Sofley said, referring to the extreme heat and drought that withered some of last year's leaf. ``Last year wasn't a terribly good year as far as quality is concerned.

``If we continue to get normal rainfall and temperatures, . . . we could have one of the best crops we've had in a number of years,'' Sofley said. ``If we get two solid weeks of 100-degree weather, that could change. That's not likely to happen, but it could.''

This year's average price support is up 50 cents per hundredweight from $157.70 to $158.20. It ranges from $1.16 per pound to $1.91 per pound, Sofley said. Last year's average sale price was $170.

North Carolina's flue-cured tobacco crop totaled 582 million pounds last year and was valued at $984 million. by CNB