Smaller U.S. Sugarbeet Crop

WASHINGTON - Aug 12/13 - SNS - Production of sugarbeets for the 2013 crop year is forecast at 30.0 million tons, down 15% from last year, according to the USDA's latest crop production estimates.

Planted area is forecast at 1.21 million acres, down slightly from the June Acreage report and down 2% from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.18 million acres, up slightly from the previous forecast but down 2% from 2012. Expected yield is forecast at 25.4 tons per acre, a decrease of 3.9 tons from last year.

Sugarbeet Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States: 2012 and
Forecasted August 1, 2013
[Relates to year of intended harvest in all States except California]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               :    Area harvested     :    Yield per acre     :      Production
     State     :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
               :   2012    :   2013    :   2012    :   2013    :   2012    :   2013
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               :  --- 1,000 acres ---      ----- tons -----       --- 1,000 tons ---
               :
California 1/ .:     24.5        24.5      44.0        45.0        1,078       1,103
Colorado ......:     29.7        26.3      31.8        31.2          944         821
Idaho .........:    182.0       174.0      35.3        32.7        6,425       5,690
Michigan ......:    153.0       150.0      29.0        25.0        4,437       3,750
Minnesota .....:    463.0       460.0      26.5        22.0       12,270      10,120
Montana .......:     45.8        42.9      28.2        28.1        1,292       1,205
Nebraska ......:     48.9        44.0      29.8        28.0        1,457       1,232
North Dakota ..:    215.0       223.0      28.0        22.0        6,020       4,906
Oregon ........:     11.0         9.3      38.0        36.2          418         337
Wyoming .......:     31.3        29.8      28.6        29.0          895         864
               :
United States .:  1,204.2     1,183.8      29.3        25.4       35,236      30,028
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Relates to year of intended harvest for fall planted beets in central California
   and to year of planting for overwintered beets in central and southern California.