Minor Hike in Sugarcane Forecast

WASHINGTON - Feb 9/07 - SNS -- Sugarcane production in the United States is now forecast at 29.8 million tons for 2006-07, of which 28.1 million tons is expected to be for sugar and 1.63 million tons for seed, according to the latest USDA crop production estimates.

Total production for sugar and seed is up 1% from the previous forecast and 12% above last year's hurricane affected crop.

Sugarcane growers intend to harvest 908,800 acres for sugar and seed during the 2006 crop year, unchanged from the previous forecast but 1% below last year. If realized, area harvested will be the smallest since 1996. Yield is forecast at 32.7 tons per acre, compared with the January forecast of 32.4 tons and last year's estimate of 28.9 tons.

The yield in Florida for sugar and seed, at 35.7 tons per acre, is up 0.7 ton from last month and up 3.9 tons from last year when the crop suffered significant damage from hurricanes. Harvest in Florida continued mostly on schedule during January but was slowed somewhat at the end of the month due to heavy rainfall. Estimates for Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas are carried forward from January.

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