Sunflower Crop Sinks 24% on Year
WASHINGTON - Oct 12/11 - SNS -- The first U.S. sunflower production forecast for 2011 is 2.09 billion pounds, down 24% from 2010, according to the USDA's latest crop production estimates.
Area planted, at 1.54 million acres, is down 12% from the August estimate and is the lowest since 1976. Sunflower growers expect to harvest 1.47 million acres, down 12% from August and down 21% from the 2010 acreage. If realized, harvested area for the Nation will also be the lowest since 1976. The October yield forecast, at 1,420 pounds per acre, is 40 pounds lower than last year's yield.
As of October 1, lower yields are expected in eight of the top nine sunflower-producing States, with only South Dakota farmers expecting higher yields compared with last year. Expected production in North Dakota, the largest sunflower-producing State, is the lowest since 1976. Harvested area in North Dakota for all sunflowers will be the lowest since 1975, if realized.
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