April 26, 2012

US crop planting surpasses averages

In the week ending Monday (Apr 23), US farmers report that corn, cotton and soy planting, remains well ahead of their five-year averages.

Farmers report that 28% of the corn crop is planted, keeping putting the crop well ahead of its five-year average of 15% for this time of year.

About 9% of the crop has emerged, putting that ahead of the five-year average of 2%, the USDA said in its weekly report.

In the past five years, farmers in the 15 most productive cotton-growing states planted 13% of their cotton by this week of the year. For 2012, the average stands at 17% among the most productive cotton states.

Soy planting, which generally trails behind corn, is 6% completed, ahead of the historic average of 2% for this week of the year.

Farmers also report 5% of the peanut crop is planted, as is 60% of sugar beets, 65% of rice and 57% of the spring wheat crop -- and all are outpacing their long-term averages.