July 14, 2009

US winter wheat production is forecast at 1.52 billion bushels, up two percent from last month but down 18 percent from 2008.

Wheat yield is forecast at 43.8 bushels per acre, down 0.1 bushel from last month and down 3.4 bushels from last year.

The area expected to be harvested totalled 34.8 million acres, down 12 percent from last year.

Hard red winter wheat production is expected to reach 903 million bushels, up four percent from a month ago. Soft red winter wheat is slightly down from the last forecast at 414 million bushels. White winter wheat is also down slightly from the previous month to 208 million bushels.

Durum wheat production is forecast at 81.2 million bushels, down four percent form 2008.

Other spring wheat production is forecast at 506 million bushels, seven-percent below 2008. The expected area to be harvested for grain totals 13.2 million acres, down two percent from last year. The yield is forecast at 38.3 bushels per acre, down 2.2 bushels from 2008. Of the total production, 470 million bushels are hard red spring wheat, down eight percent from last year.