Record Sugarbeet Harvest

WASHINGTON - Jan 12/07 - SNS -- Sugarbeet production for 2006 is estimated at a record high 33.8 million tons, 23% above the 2005 estimate and slightly above the November 1 forecast, according to the USDA 's final production estimate for 2006.

Estimated yield, at a record high 25.9 tons per acre, is 3.8 tons higher than last year and 0.1 ton higher than the previous forecast. Growers harvested 1.30 million acres, 5% more than last year but fractionally below the previous forecast. Area planted, at 1.37 million acres, is 5% above 2005 and 4,000 acres above the August estimate.

Growers in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Oregon saw record yields in 2006. In Minnesota and North Dakota, production was also at a record high despite the abandonment of 27,000 and 18,000 acres, respectively, to avoid exceeding processing capacities. Michigan's production was also a record high.

All States exceeded their 2005 production, except California, where growers planted and harvested the smallest area since records began in 1924. Planted area was higher than last year in all States, except California and Montana, as factories contracted more acreage to replenish sugar stocks depleted by last year's hurricane-related losses to the sugarcane crop.

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