Sunflower Plantings Sink 17%

WASHINGTON - Jun 30/09 - SNS -- Area planted to sunflower in the United States this year totals 2.10 million acres, down 17% from last year, but up 1% from 2007, according to the USDA's preliminary seeded estimates for the year.

Harvested area is expected to decrease 399,000 acres from last year to 2.00 million acres. Planted area of oil type varieties, at 1.78 million acres, is down 18% from 2008, and the non-oil varieties, estimated at 314,000 acres, are down 11% from last year.

Compared with last year, planted area is down in all States except Texas, which is up 39,000 acres. In North Dakota, the largest producing State, sunflower planting got off to a slow start as cool, wet conditions did not allow planting to start until mid-May.

As of May 31, only 34% had been planted, 33 points behind normal. In contrast, planting progress in Colorado, Kansas, and South Dakota was ahead of normal or within 1% of normal pace. By June 14, planting progress in North Dakota had reached 88%, only 5 points behind the 5-year average. However, emergence had only reached 35%, 29 points behind normal.

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