Rising Sorghum Numbers

WASHINGTON - Oct 12/07 - SNS -- Sorghum production is forecast at 501 million bushels, up 1% from last month and up 81% from last year, judging from the latest USDA crop estimates.

Based on administrative information, acreage updates were made in several States. Planted area was updated to 7.70 million acres, down less than 1% from June but up 18% from 2006. Area for harvest as grain is forecast at 6.70 million acres, up 4,000 acres from last month and up 36% from last year.

Based on October 1 conditions, the yield is forecast at 74.8 bushels per acre, up 0.9 bushel from September and up 18.6 bushels from last year. If realized, this would be the highest yield on record.

As of September 30, harvest had begun in all of the top 11 producing States. In these States, the sorghum crop was 74% mature, 15 points ahead of last year and 13 points ahead of the normal pace. Harvest, at 37% complete, was 3 points ahead of last year and the 5-year average. Harvest was 98% complete in Arkansas and Louisiana. Wet weather hampered harvest activities in the Great Plains, where Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma trailed behind the normal pace.

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