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There should be a 35 percent increase of Georgia peaches in 2016 compared to last year, according to the Georgia Peach Council.

When Georgia got some especially cold weather late last year, many peach growers got worried. But things improved at the start of 2016.

“You know what was once a concern, once we got in February really though that quickly dissipated,” said Duke Lane, the president of the Georgia Peach Council.

Lane says peach growers have stepped up both their planting and marketing efforts in the last few years, since commercial peach growers and the state of Georgia joined forces in 2013 to help promote more awareness of Georgia peaches.

“We’ve done some pretty aggressive marketing areas in the Midwest and in the Northeast,” said Lane.

Lane projects this year’s crop could be worth up to $70 million.

Despite the peach being the official state fruit, Georgia’s top fruit crop is the blueberry.