Sugarbeet Production Down 9% on Year

WASHINGTON - Nov 10/05 - SNS -- Sugarbeet production for 2005 is forecast at 27.3 million tons, 2% above the October forecast but 9% below last year's production, according to the latest USDA crop production estimates.

U.S. yields are forecast at 22.0 tons per acre, up 0.5 ton from October but 0.9 ton below 2004. Growers in the 12 sugarbeet-producing States expect to harvest 1.24 million acres, fractionally below last month and 5% below last year.

Expected area for harvest is down 2,000 acres in both Minnesota and North Dakota but unchanged elsewhere. The yield forecasts are at or above last month in all States, except Oregon, with the largest increases in Washington and Montana, at 2.9 and 1.8 tons above the previous forecast, respectively. Harvest was complete in Minnesota and nearly complete in North Dakota but lagged behind the normal pace in Idaho and Michigan.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here