June 4, 2008

US corn crop emergence at 74 percent, double from last week

USDA's latest crop progress indicates that 74 percent of the corn crop had emerged by June 1, nearly a 50-percent increase from last week.

However, this time last year, 99 percent of the corn crop had emerged, and the average over the last five years is 98 percent, the USDA said.

Meanwhile, the US soy crop is struggling, with only 32 percent of those plants emerging by June 1, compared with 64 percent by this time last year and 55 percent on average by this time over the last five years.

This has been attributed to less planting, with only 69 percent of the intended soy fields planted by the beginning of June, against last year's 86 percent.