Durum Wheat Crop Leaps

WASHINGTON - Aug 13/15 - SNS -- Durum wheat production in the U.S. is forecast at 76.8 million bushels, up 2% from July and up 45% from 2014, according to the latest USDA production forecast for 2015.

The United States yield is forecast at 40.2 bushels per acre, up 0.6 bushel from last month and 0.5 bushel from last year. Expected area to be harvested for grain totals 1.90 million acres, unchanged from last month but up 43% from last year.

Yield forecasts are unchanged from last month in all States except Montana. North Dakota's yield of 36.0 bushels per acre is up 0.5 bushel from last year. Durum wheat crop development has progressed ahead of normal in Montana and North Dakota this year. As of August 2, crop conditions in Montana and North Dakota were rated 30% and 83% good to excellent, respectively.

Durum Wheat Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States: 2014 and
Forecasted August 1, 2015
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                :    Area harvested     :        Yield per acre         :      Production
                :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      State     :           :           :           :       2015        :           :
                :   2014    :   2015    :   2014    :-------------------:   2014    :   2015
                :           :           :           : July 1  :August 1 :           :
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                :   -- 1,000 acres --       -------- bushels --------         1,000 bushels
                :
Arizona ........:      72         139       111.0      95.0      95.0       7,992      13,205
California .....:      25          65       105.0      97.0      97.0       2,625       6,305
Montana ........:     430         620        31.0      27.0      29.0      13,330      17,980
North Dakota ...:     795       1,070        35.5      36.0      36.0      28,223      38,520
                :
Other States 1/ :      15          14        61.1      55.0      55.0         917         770
                :
United States ..:   1,337       1,908        39.7      39.6      40.2      53,087      76,780
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1/ Other States include Idaho and South Dakota. Individual State level estimates will be
   published in the "Small Grains 2015 Summary."