PEANUTS, BLUEBERRIES PROPEL SOUTHERN EXPORTS T he vast Southern region covers South Central to Southeast Georgia. Agriculture, commercial timber production and other rural development initiatives form the cornerstone of the region’s economy. However, a growing manufacturing base is also evident and has helped raise per capita income and created jobs in some parts of the region. Valdosta, the major city and county seat of Lowndes County, is the only designated Metropolitan Statistical Area in the region, boasting a growing manufacturing, warehousing and distribution base. The Southern region imports 22,000 tons yearly, including textile fabrics and rubber tires, but the bulk of its foreign trade is in exports, where fruits and nuts, paper and paperboard combine for nearly 569,000 tons of exports annually. Southern Georgia is well known for its abundant and accessible natural resources, including the Okefenokee Swamp, sweeping agricultural lands, timber and water supply Peanuts and blueberries are two of the area’s top export crops. The Georgia peanut is one of the state’s iconic crops, renowned around the world for its quality, versatility and taste. Georgia is the leading peanut- producing state, accounting for 57 percent of the country’s peanuts in 2015 — more than 1.7 million tons. Georgia’s 3,500 peanut farmers planted crops in more than 75 counties, yielding 4,300 pounds per acre. This accounts for 23 percent of the state’s row and forage crop income, contributing to more than 50,000 jobs. The versatile legumes are a $2 billion industry in the state. But they aren’t the only in-demand crop Georgia produces. Blueberries are a cool commodity right now. The healthy, versatile fruit is popular worldwide. The United States is the world’s largest producer of blueberries, and American farmers are exporting their products to overseas markets like Europe, where the growing season is later in the year, but the demand is high year-round. While many consumers may associate blueberries with states like Michigan or Maine, Georgia is consistently among the country’s top blueberry-producing states. In 2014’s growing season, Georgia produced 96 million pounds of the sweet blue fruit. 57
