June 26, 2007

 

US's Kansas increases wheat harvest pace; Custom cutters needed
 

 

Wide areas of Kansas are now cutting wheat, although a lack of custom combiners is hampering progress, the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas Association of Wheat Growers said Monday (Jun 25) in a joint harvest report.

 

Decatur Co-op Association in Oberlin, Kansas, in the north-western part of the state, said harvest started in the area Thursday night, and grain quality is considered "excellent" so far, with test weights from 59-64 pounds per bushel, according to the report. More of the test weights are above 60 pounds than are below, Gene Soderlund said in the report.

 

Yields are 40-70 bushels per acre, the harvest report said. However, producers have not seen many custom cutters in the area, and without them, harvest might take a couple of weeks, according to the report.

 

There are not many combines near Kiowa, Kansas, either, said Alan Meyers of the OK Co-op Grain Company. The elevator took in grain this weekend, but progress was "terribly slow," he said in the harvest report.

 

Rain continued to plague the local harvest with a shower during the weekend, Meyers said in the report. The OK Co-op has taken in 500,000 bushels this year, compared to its normal amount of nearly 4 million bushels, according to the report.

 

Cutting began Wednesday in Concordia, Kansas, but was delayed by showers Friday before resuming again on Sunday, said Robert Johnson of the Cloud County Co-op Elevator Association. The average test weight so far is 58 pounds per bushel, with no moisture problems, he said in the report. Most fields are ready to harvest, with yields seen to be about 35 bushels per acre, according to the report.

 

High temperatures and wind near Scott City, Kansas, in the western part of the state, aided cutting Sunday, said Gary Friesen of the Scott Co-op Association. Test weights are holding up "very well," but yields so far are not as high as expected, according to the report. Custom cutters are needed in the area, Friesen said.

 

ADM Grain elevators in Selkirk and Leoti, Kansas, started taking in wheat Thursday, the report said. The western Kansas elevators "are not quite in full swing yet" due to wet fields but have taken in about 50,000 bushels so far, Karen Reynolds said.

 

Test weights so far range from 61-63 pounds per bushel, and early yield reports range 50-60 bushels per acre, Reynolds said in the report.

 

Harvest also has been somewhat slow near Pratt, Kansas, said Tammy McGregor of the Iuka Co-op Exchange. Wheat is lying down in the field and is difficult to cut, she said. Test weights are in the mid-50s, and moisture levels are from 11-12 percent, according to the harvest report.

 

Kansas' weather outlook for the next five days is mostly favourable for harvesting, with showers being confined to the southern and south-central areas, DTN Meteorlogix said. The state will see temperatures in the 90s Fahrenheit on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a cool-down, the weather firm said.