July 3, 2006

US corn acreage down 3 percent on-year while soy acreage up

Despite increased demand for corn to be used for ethanol plants, corn acreage was down 3 percent from a year ago while soy acreage went up 4 percent, the USDA announced in its Jun 30 acreage report.

However, farmers have increased corn plantings 2 percent from their March intentions, the report noted.

Soy planted area is estimated at 74.9 million acres. Area for harvest, estimated at 73.9 million acres, is also up 4 percent from 2005. The planted area is down 3 percent from the March Prospective Plantings report.

Kansas, North Dakota and Pennsylvania had new record-high soy-planted areas.

North Dakota and Illinois had the largest increase in soy acreage from last year, up 850,000 and 600,000 acres, respectively.

Overall wheat planted area is estimated at 57.9 million acres, up 1 percent from 2005.

Area for winter wheat for 2006 is increased 2 percent from last year to reach 41.4 million acres whereas area for spring wheat increased 4 percent to reach 14.6 million acres.

Areas for durum wheat reached its lowest since 1961, down 32 percent from last year to reach 1.89 million acres.