By Timothy S. Donahue

Top Takeaways:

• Tobacco losses: Drought has reduced tobacco yields in parts of North Carolina and farmers facing damage that late-season rain cannot reverse.
• Harvest pressure: Extension agents in several eastern counties report lower crop production as the 2026 harvest winds down.
• Looking ahead: Water shortages and months of dry weather are prompting some growers to consider more drought-tolerant varieties.

North Carolina tobacco growers spent the summer hoping for rain, but it arrived too late.

Months of drought and extreme heat have reduced agricultural yields across the state, including tobacco. A Sept. 27 survey by NC State Extension identified reduced yields in row and specialty crops, including tobacco, as a leading agricultural concern statewide.

Although drought conditions have begun to improve in some areas, soil moisture remains low across much of North Carolina.

In Edgecombe County, where tobacco remains a key agricultural crop, moderate-to-severe drought has persisted throughout the growing season. Sydney Jalali, the county’s Extension field crops and pesticide coordinator, said farmers typically harvest tobacco and corn in August and September, when the effects of prolonged dry weather are especially apparent.

Tobacco was among the crops affected by reduced yields, according to the statewide Extension survey. Corn sustained some of the most visible damage, prompting some growers to abandon fields or adjust their harvest plans.

Farther north, Halifax County Extension agriculture agent Brandon Pike said that tobacco and corn harvesting had already concluded. Other crops, including peanuts, cotton and sweet potatoes, are also expected to yield below normal levels.

“Nobody has harvested everything yet, so it’s hard to give an exact number on how much it’s going to be off, but it’s definitely going to be off,” Pike told media.

Warren County, another tobacco-producing area, also faced severe drought. Daniel Marulanda, the county’s Extension agriculture and horticulture agent, said recent showers have provided some relief but cannot undo the damage from the growing season.

“It’s getting a little bit better with some of these recent showers, but we’re still trying to play catch-up with the effects of the drought,” Marulanda said.

The dry conditions have also strained farm water supplies. According to Marulanda, some farmers have exhausted their irrigation ponds and have been forced to seek alternative water sources.

In some areas, growers are already considering more drought-tolerant varieties for the upcoming planting seasons.