Agro Perspectiva

U.S. 2010 corn, soybean, wheat crops up 2% from 2009

16.08.2010 12:29 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — U.S. 2010 corn production was forecast at 13,365,225,000, up 2% from 13,110,062 bushels in 2009, soybean production was forecast at 3,433,370,000 bushels, up 2% from 3,359,011,000 bushels last year, and all wheat production was forecast at 2,264,928,000 bushels, up 2% from July and up 2% from 2,216,171,000 bushels in 2009, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its Aug. 12 Crop Production report. If realized, both corn and soybean production would be record highs. It was the first USDA survey-based forecast of the season for corn and soybean crops. The USDA corn, soybean and all wheat production numbers all were above average pre-report trade estimates of 13.282 billion bushels for corn, 3.366 billion bushels for soybeans and 2.233 billion bushels for wheat. Based on Aug. 1 conditions, corn yield was forecast at a record 165 bushels an acre, up 0.3 bushels from the previous record of 164.7 bushels an acre in 2009, the USDA said. Soybean yield was forecast at 44 bushels an acre, equal to the 2009 record high. All wheat yield was forecast at 46.9 bushels an acre, up 1 bushel from July, up 2.5 bushels from 44.9 bushels an acre in 2009 and also the highest on record. Production of spring wheat other than durum was forecast at 633,245,000 bushels, up 4% from 606,755,000 bushels forecast in July, up 8% from 584,411,000 bushels a year ago and the third largest crop on record. The average yield was forecast at 46.6 bushels an acre, up 2 bushels from July, up 1.5 bushel from 45.1 bushels in 2009 and the highest on record. Harvested area was forecast at 13,590,000 acres, unchanged from July but up 5% from a year ago. Production of hard red spring wheat was forecast at 592,611,000 bushels, up 5% from 567,003,000 bushels in July and up 8% from 547,933,000 bushels in 2009. Durum outturn was forecast at 108,781,000 bushels, up 5% from 103,513,000 bushels in July but down slightly from 109,042,000 bushels in 2009. Based on Aug. 1 conditions, durum yield was forecast at 42 bushels an acre, up 2 bushels from July but down 2.9 bushels from a record high 44.9 bushels in 2009 and the second highest on record, the USDA said. The USDA forecast winter wheat production at 1,522,902,000 bushels, up 1% from 1,505,493,000 bushels in July and up slightly from 1,522,718,000 bushels in 2009. The USDA forecast winter wheat yield at 47.5 bushels an acre based on conditions as of Aug. 1, up 0.6 bushel from July, up 3.3 bushels from 44.2 bushels last year and the second highest on record if realized. Harvested area was forecast at 32,085,000 acres, unchanged from July but down 7% from a year ago. Hard red winter wheat production was forecast at 1,029,288,000 bushels, up 2% from 1,011,486,000 bushels in July and up 12% from 919,015,000 bushels in 2009. Soft red winter production was forecast at 260,013,000 bushels, down 3% from 267,768,000 bushels in July and down 36% from 403,563,000 bushels in 2009. If realized, 2010 outturn would be the lowest since 188,920,000 bushels in 1978. White winter wheat outturn was forecast at 233,601,000 bushels, up 3% from 226,239,000 bushels in July and up 17% from 200,140,000 bushels in 2009, including soft white at 214,977,000 bushels, up 18% from last year, and hard white at 18,624,000 bushels, up 3%. In its first survey-based rice crop forecast of the season, the USDA estimated 2010 U.S. rice production at 245,882,000 cwts, up 12% from 219,850,000 cwts in 2009. Sorghum production in 2010 was forecast at 383,435,000 bushels, up slightly from 382,983,000 bushels in 2009, the USDA said. The USDA forecast 2010 oats production at 87,239,000 bushels, down 1% from 87,726,000 bushels in July, down 6% from 93,081,000 bushels in 2009 and the lowest on record. Harvested area was forecast at 1,315,000 acres, unchanged from July but down 5% from 2009 and also the lowest on record.