Sugarbeet Growers Boost Area

WASHINGTON - Jun 30/09 - SNS -- Area planted to sugarbeets for the 2009 crop year is estimated at 1.17 million acres, up 8% from the previous year, according to the USDA's preliminary seeded estimates for the year.

Harvested area is forecast at 1.13 million acres, up 13% from 2008. Planted area increased in all estimating States except Wyoming and California, where acreage is unchanged and down 1,100 acres from a year ago, respectively. The largest increase occurred in Idaho, where producers planted 33,000 more acres than in 2008. In Minnesota and North Dakota, planted area is up 2 and 11%, respectively.

Planting was slow to begin, and remained behind normal throughout the spring planting season. At the start of April, producers faced saturated, snow-covered fields in areas of Idaho, Minnesota, and North Dakota. As May ended, drier weather allowed for a significant amount of planting, but overall progress continued to lag normal in all States.

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