US corn planting underway but progress is slow

The US corn planting is underway on a slow pace, with a small percentage of acres planted in the southern end of the corn belt, according to the USDA on Monday (Apr 13).

Planting in Texas is 59-percent complete, while North Carolina has planted 13 percent against a five-year average of 33 percent for this week of the year.

Among the 18 key corn producing states, farmers have planted two percent of their seeds against a five-year average of six percent for this week of the year.

Many northern states, including Illinois, Indian and Iowa, have not planted enough to register on the weekly report.

Sorghum is one-percent behind its historic average at 23 percent planted, while th winter wheat crop is ahead of its five-year average at nine percent against an average of six percent.