Sugarcane Areas Sinks to 1990 Levels

WASHINGTON - Mar 11/08 - SNS -- Sugarcane production for sugar and seed in 2007 is 30.8 million tons, of which 29.1 million tons are for sugar and 1.74 million tons are for seed, according to the USDA.

Total production for sugar and seed is down fractionally from February but 4% above the 2006 production. Sugarcane growers intend to harvest 883,500 acres for sugar and seed during the 2007 crop year, unchanged from last month but 2% less than last year.

If realized, this will be the smallest area harvested for sugar and seed since 1990. Yield is forecast at 34.9 tons per acre, the same as the last forecast but up 2.0 tons from last year.

The yield in Florida for sugar and seed, at 36.9 tons per acre, is down 0.1 ton from last month but up 1.0 ton from last year. Harvest continued in the Lake Okeechobee area in Florida and wetland sugarcane harvest was progressing at a steady pace throughout the month of February. Estimates for Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas are carried forward from January.

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