Peanut production in the United States is forecast at 3.63 billion pounds, down slightly from the Oct. 1 forecast and down 30 percent from last year.

Area for harvest is expected to total 1.08 million acres, unchanged from October but down 28 percent from 2008.

Yields are expected to average 3,353 pounds per acre, down 10 pounds from last month and down 73 pounds from the 2008 record yield of 3,426 pounds per acre. If realized, this will be the second highest U.S. yield on record.

Production in the Southeast states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina) is expected to total 2.75 billion pounds, down 1 percent from October and down 28 percent from last year.

Expected area for harvest, at 825,000 acres, is unchanged from October but down 25 percent from 2008.

Yields in the region are expected to average 3,334 pounds per acre, down 50 pounds from last month and 98 pounds below last year. Yields are forecast lower than last month in all Southeast states except Georgia, which remains unchanged at a record high 3,500 pounds.

Harvest progress was behind average in most states in the region due to abundant rainfall and wet field conditions.

Virginia/North Carolina production is forecast at 287 million pounds, up 6 percent from the Oct. 1 forecast, but down 35 percent from 2008.

Expected area for harvest, at 78,000 acres, is unchanged from the previous forecast, but down 36 percent from last year.

The average yield is forecast at 3,685 pounds per acre, up 200 pounds from the October forecast and 54 pounds higher than the 2008 average.

Record high yields are expected in both states. As of Nov. 1, Virginia growers had harvested 93 percent of their peanut crop. In North Carolina, however, harvest was only 80 percent complete, due to heavy rainfall and below average temperatures during October.