USDA Lowers Dry Bean Seeded Area

WASHINGTON - Aug 12/04 - SNS -- The USDA lowered the estimated size of this year's dry edible bean harvest, reducing the seeded area 4% below the June acreage report as part of its latest crop production estimates.

Planted area is now estimated at 1.36 million acres, 3% below last year and down 30% from two years ago. Harvested acreage is forecast at 1.30 million acres, down 3% from last year and 25% below 2002.

Based on conditions as of August 1, the USDA expects yields for all classes of beans to average 1,639 pounds per acre, down 33 pounds from last year and 104 pounds below the yields achieved in 2002.

The net effect is this year's harvest is expected to total 21.3 million cwt (100 pound units) or 967,155 metric tons (MT), down 5% from last year's 1,021,348 MT result and 30% below the 1,375,044 MT harvested two years ago.

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