May 17, 2004

US Wheat Harvest May Come Early
 

Wheat harvest in the US is expected to come earlier this year. But it is not thought to be as large as it was in 2003.

The remains of Oklahoma's bumper wheat crop reported a year ago are mingling with other factors to lead to a decrease in yield, forecasters are saying.

"We have a lot of unusual factors. An unusually high straw still remains from last year's crop that is causing nitrogen deficiencies to show up," said Tim Bartram of the Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association office in Enid.

Bartram said some disease is evident in area acreage. Moisture deficiencies have resulted from unusually high temperatures recorded in late April and early this month.

The state's May 1 wheat production forecast puts Oklahoma's crop at 154.8 million bushels, down 14 percent from a year ago, according to the Oklahoma Agri-cultural Statistics Service.

Acres harvested for grain, at 4.3 million acres statewide, are down 300,000 acres from a year earlier. Average yield is forecast at 36 bushels per acre, down three bushels from 2003, according to the OASS.

Army worm is evident now in some of this area's crop. Some fields of wheat in the state have experienced hail damage, Bartram said.

Carrier Mill and Elevator Co. is reporting a 14 percent decrease in grain production this year.

Harvesting in areas south of Waukomis could begin as early as this month.

Harvest is expected to begin the first week of June around Enid, depending on the weather. The early harvest is 7 to 10 days ahead of normal.

Problems usually associated with an early harvest include greater chance for moisture that affects test weights and quality, Bartram said.