November 8, 2004

Informa Said To Peg US Corn Crop At 11.750 Billion Bushels

Informa Economics Inc., an analytical firm based in Memphis, was said to have pegged the 2004-05 U.S. corn crop at 11.750 billion bushels, with an average yield of 160.3 bushels per acre, trade sources said early Friday.

The firm was said to have forecast the 2004-05 soybean crop at 3.150 billion bushels, with an average yield of 42.6 bushels.

Currently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts the 2004-05 U.S. corn crop at 11.613 billion bushels with a yield of 158.4 bushels/acre and U.S. soybean output at 3.107 billion bushels with a yield of 42.0 bushels/acre.

The USDA is scheduled to update its production forecasts for the 2004-05 corn and soybean crops Nov. 12.

In early October, Informa projected the 2004 U.S. corn crop at 11.375 billion bushels and U.S. soybean production at 3.107 billion bushels.

Last year, the U.S. produced 10.114 billion bushels of corn and a soybean crop of 2.454 billion bushels.