News

USDA: 2010 U.S. winter wheat crop at 1.46 billion bushels

The USDA’s estimate of the 2010 U.S. winter wheat crop came out a little larger than expected.

According to the Ag Department, the winter crop, based on conditions as of May 1, will total 1.458 billion bushels, down 65 million from 2009 but almost 25 million bushels above the average pre-report estimate. The range of analysts’ expectations was from 1.388 billion to 1.557 billion bushels.

Hard red winter came out at 960 million bushels, up 5% from 2009, soft red winter was pegged at 283 million bushels, down 30%, and white winter was reported at 215 million bushels, up 7% on the year. Before the report, analysts saw hard red at 920 million bushels, soft red at 303 million and white at 205 million bushels.

The average yield for the total winter crop was pegged at 45.9 bushels per acre, compared to 44.2 a year ago, with harvested area at 31.786 million acres, compared to 34.485 million last year.

Additionally, USDA resurveyed corn producers in North and South Dakota who had not yet completely harvested the 2009 crop and made revisions to last year’s national totals.

USDA has the total 2009 U.S. corn crop at 13.110 billion bushels, with an average yield of 164.7 bushels per acre. Total U.S. planted area was 86.482 million acres and harvested area was 79.590 million acres.

North Dakota’s 2009 crop was reported at 200.1 million bushels, with an average yield of 115 bushels per acre. Planted area came out at 1.950 million acres, while harvested area was 1.740 million acres.

For South Dakota, the corn crop totaled 706.68 million bushels, with an average yield of 151 bushels per acre. Planted area for 2009 was 5 million acres, while harvested area was 4.680 million acres.

Winter Wheat Production for Brownfield/Waitt states:

Illinois: Winter Wheat: 19.5 million bushels, compared to 45.92 million in 2009; average yield of 60 bushels per acre, compared to 56 bushels per acre a year ago; harvested area of 325,000 acres, compared to 820,000 last year.

Indiana: Winter Wheat: 19.04 million bushels, compared to 30.15 million in 2009; average yield of 68 bushels per acre, compared to 67 a year ago; harvested area of 280,000 acres, compared to 450,000 last year.

Missouri: Winter Wheat: 14.26 million bushels, compared to 34.31 million in 2009; average yield of 46 bushels per acre, compared to 47 a year ago; harvested area of 310,000 acres, compared to 730,000 last year.

Nebraska: Winter Wheat: 69 million bushels, compared to 76.8 million in 2009; average yield of 46 bushels per acre, compared to 48 a year ago; harvested area of 1.5 million acres, compared to 1.6 million last year.

South Carolina: Winter Wheat: 6.21 million bushels, compared to 7.05 million in 2009; average yield of 46 bushels per acre, compared to 47 a year ago; harvested area of 135,000 acres, compared to 150,000 last year.

South Dakota: Winter Wheat: 57.82 million bushels, compared to 64.26 million in 2009; average yield of 49 bushels per acre, compared to 42 a year ago; harvested area of 1.18 million acres, compared to 1.53 million last year.

Wisconsin: Winter Wheat: 15.64 million bushels, compared to 21.42 million in 2009; average yield of 68 bushels per acre, unchanged from a year ago; harvested area of 230,000 acres, compared to 315,000 last year.