April 1, 2009
US 2009 all-wheat planted area seen down by 7 percent
Farmers are expected to plant just 58.638 million acres of wheat in the US this year, a 7 percent decline from 63.147 million acres in 2008, the US Department of Agriculture predicted Tuesday in its annual Prospective Plantings report.
The winter wheat planting estimate for 2009 is also predicted to fall 7 percent from last year, although the new forecast is also a 2 percent increase from a prediction the USDA made in January.
Farmers are expected to plant 42.889 million acres of winter wheat this year, down from 46.281 million acres in 2008, the USDA said.
"Winter wheat conditions declined over the winter in several states," the USDA said. "Moisture shortages are a concern in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas."
Of the winter wheat acreage total, hard red winter wheat is expected on 30.9 million acres, soft red winter is seen on 8.38 million and white winter is seen on 3.65 million.
Durum wheat planting this year is expected to drop by 10 percent, the USDA said in the report. The new forecast is for 2.45 million acres with decreases seen in all producing states except Idaho.
Other spring wheat, the USDA said, is also expected to get fewer acres this year. "Area planted to other spring wheat for 2009 is expected to total 13.3 million acres, down 6% from 2008," the USDA said.
The biggest acreage decreases are in Montana, with 300,000 fewer acres this year, and North Dakota, with 200,000 fewer acres.
