November 28, 2006

 

US crop progress wrap: Less winter wheat in good-to-excellent condition

 

 

The US Department of Agriculture reported Monday (Nov 27) afternoon that less of the US winter wheat crop was in good-to-excellent condition than a week earlier.

 

The emergence of the wheat crop, however, is slightly ahead of the five-year average, the USDA said.

 

The USDA reported the US corn harvest was nearly complete at 97 percent, just behind the five-year average.

 

The agency did not issue a progress report for soybeans, which analysts said showed the crop was fully harvested.

 

Monday's crop progress report was the last for the season. The USDA will resume the reports in spring 2007.

 

 

Corn

 

Ninety-seven percent of the US corn crop was reported harvested as of Nov 26, slightly behind the 99 percent combined in 2005 and the five-year average of 98 percent.

 

Harvest progress lagged in several eastern US Midwest states that have seen soggy weather.

 

Ohio saw 88 percent combined, compared to 94 percent in 2005 and the five-year average of 96 percent. Indiana's corn crop was 93 percent harvested, compared to 100 percent last year and the five-year average of 98 percent.

 

The harvest in Michigan, meanwhile, was 78 percent complete, compared to 98 percent last year and the five-year average of 92 percent.

 

Don Roose, president of US Commodities, said he thought the harvest could still be completed in the states that have fallen behind.

 

"When you have corn harvest at 97 percent, I think basically what it says is we were able to push along and basically wrap up the harvest," Roose said. "Field losses are there, but they're not what the trade feared they could have been."

 

In Illinois, 99 percent of the crop was harvested, compared to 100 percent last year and the five-year average of 99 percent. Iowa saw 98 percent of its crop cut, compared to 99 percent last year and the five-year average of 99 percent.

 

 

Soybeans

 

An analyst last week said the soybean harvest was essentially finished because there wasn't much left to pick up. Ninety-six percent of the US soybean crop was reported harvested as of Nov. 19.

 

"We're basically saying the beans are done," Roose said Monday.

 

 

Winter wheat

 

The USDA reported that 53 percent of the US winter wheat crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, four percentage points below last week's ratings. Eleven percent of the crop was in very poor-to-poor condition, up two percentage points from a week ago.

 

In Kansas, the country's largest wheat-producing state, the crop was rated 51 percent in good-to-excellent condition, down four percentage points from last week. In Oklahoma, 42 percent of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, down three percentage points from last week.

 

In Ohio, 32 percent of the soft red winter wheat crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, down two percentage points from last week.

 

Roose said the declines in good-to-excellent quality were a concern.

 

"I think it is an issue," he said. "With the tight US and world stocks, I think we're looking to secure a solid yield next year. It is something that we're watching."