Winter Durum Crop Down 35%

WASHINGTON - May 10/13 - SNS -- Production of Durum wheat in Arizona and California is forecast at a collective 15.6 million bushels, down 35% from last year, according to the latest crop estimates released by the USDA.

In California, good quality and few diseases issues were reported. Harvest is expected to begin in Southern California by mid-May.

Durum Wheat Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States:
2012 and Forecasted May 1, 2013
[Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun. Area
harvested for the United States and remaining States will be published in
"Acreage" released June 2013. Yield and production will be published in "Crop
Production" released July 2013]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :   Area harvested    : Yield per acre  :     Production
      State     :-------------------------------------------------------------
                :   2012   :   2013   :  2012  :  2013  :   2012   :   2013
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :    1,000 acres        --- bushels --       1,000 bushels
                :
Arizona ........:    104        64       95.0    105.0      9,880     6,720
California .....:    135        85      105.0    105.0     14,175     8,925
Montana ........:    515                 28.0              14,420
North Dakota ...:  1,330                 32.0              42,560
                :
Other States 1/ :     18                 51.2                 921
                :
United States ..:  2,102                 39.0              81,956
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Other States include Idaho and South Dakota. Individual State level
   estimates will be published in the "Small Grains 2013 Summary".