Ask the News - May 12
May 11—New Mexico produces about 25,000 tons of peanuts annually, according to New Mexico State University. How much of the state's 2024 crop was lost in the Hampton Farms fire at Portales in April? Will this impact the cost of peanuts in the grocery store?
If so, by how much and when will we see that increase?
"They should be able to overcome this," Naveen Puppala wrote in an email.
Puppala is peanut breeder with New Mexico State University's agricultural center north of Clovis.
Regarding a seed crop, Puppala wrote "all the seeds required to plant have been shelled and sent to the plant in Levelland (Texas)."
"To the best of my knowledge, so we are good and not short of any seed to plant."
As for actual damage to the state's total crop, while Puppala wrote he is not sure "They should be able to overcome the shortage of peanuts from other peanut plants."
"(We) don't anticipate any increase in cost," Puppala wrote.
Hampton Farms Vice President R. P. Watson said Wednesday 6 million pounds of peanuts — 3,000 tons — were lost in the April 15 fire.
Watson said the cost of the damage was $20 million.
Watson said the company plans on rebuilding the Portales facility in time to handle the October 2025 harvest.
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