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US Crop Area Estimates

The USDA has released US crop area estimates for 2009.

Total wheat plantings are estimated at 24.190M Ha, down 1.36M Ha from last year but, 0.45M Ha aove the estimates mad in March. Due to earlier dry conditions in southern states only 84% of the planted criop is expected to be harvested against 88% last year. Winter wheat plantings are seen at 17.58M Ha, down 1.15M Ha from last season with only 80% of the crop expected to be harvested for grain (86% in 2008). Despite a wet spring, the US spring wheat crop (excluding durum) is expected to fall by only 0.147M Ha to 5.573M Ha with 96% expected to be harvested, slightly higher than last year.

Maize plantings are seen at 35.222M Ha, up 0.426M Ha from last season, 7% below the record area of 2007 and 0.813M Ha above the estimates made in March. This compares to recent estimates made by Informa Economics of 34.407M Ha. As a result CBOT maize opened limit down today leading EU and UK markets lower.

Soyabean plantings are expected to rise by 0.715M Ha to a record 31.357M Ha. This compares to the estimate from Informa Economics of 30.779M Ha and is 0.578M Ha above the March estimates.

US winter wheat harvest still continues at a good pace; at 28 June, 40% of the crop had been harvested. At the same point last season 36% had been harvested and the 5-year average for this point in the season is 46%.

The condition of spring wheat in the US is still very good, with 76% on a good or excellent condition at 28 June (74% a year ago).

For the maize crop, 72% is seen in a good or excellent condition at 28 June (61% a year ago). The previous week (21 June), 70% of the maize crop was in good or excellent condition.

The soyabean crop in the US is also progressing well; with 96% of the crop now planted (98% 5-year average) and 91% emerged.

30 June 2009