Purdue News
Purdue News
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February 18, 2000 Demand, production, prices down for Indiana popcornWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The final year of the 20th century was not a banner year for Indiana popcorn growers. Acreage planted, yield and price all fell from 1998 levels, according to Ralph Gann, state statistician for the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service. Hoosier growers planted 75,000 acres of popcorn, 3,000 fewer than in '98, and the 3,000-pound average yield per acre was worth just 10 cents per pound – 1.7 cents less than in '98. Total production was valued at $22.5 million vs. 1998's $29.7 million. Unlike corn and soybeans, popcorn is grown almost exclusively under contract to processors who arrange for what they want before the growing season. "Processors look at factors such as what they have left over from the previous year's crop to estimate the number of production acres they need," Gann said. Although Indiana is second on the list of U.S. popcorn producers, its 21.5 percentage of the nation's production is significantly behind Nebraska's 27 percent, measured in 1997. One reason for the difference is irrigation. "Eighty percent of Nebraska's popcorn acres are irrigated," Gann said. "In Indiana, only about 10 percent of popcorn acreage is irrigated." CONTACT: Gann, (765) 494-8371, rgann@nass.usda.gov Compiled by Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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