Record U.S. Canola Harvest

WASHINGTON - Oct 9/15 - SNS -- The first canola production forecast for the United States for 2015 is 3.09 billion pounds, up 23% from 2014, and will be the largest production on record, if realized, according to the USDA.

Area planted, at a record high 1.79 million acres, is up 14% from the June estimate and up 4% from last year. Canola farmers expect to harvest 1.73 million acres, up 13% from June and up 11% from 2014. Harvested area for the Nation will be the largest on record, if realized. The October yield forecast, at 1,791 pounds per acre, is 177 pounds above last year's yield and will be the second highest on record, if realized.

The yield in North Dakota, the largest canola-producing State, is forecast at 1,870 pounds per acre, up 70 pounds from last year's yield. Planted area in North Dakota is estimated at 1.41 million acres, an increase of 18% from 2014. Generally beneficial spring weather allowed planting of the crop to progress well ahead of last year and ahead of normal. Maturation of the crop was ahead of normal through the growing season and harvest was underway by early August.

Canola Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States:
2014 and Forecasted October 1, 2015
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      State     :  Area harvested   :  Yield per acre   :    Production
                :-----------------------------------------------------------
                :  2014   :  2015   :  2014   :  2015   :  2014   :  2015
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                : -- 1,000 acres --    ---- pounds ---   --- 1,000 pounds --
                :
Idaho ..........:    34.0      28.0    1,800     1,200      61,200    33,600
Minnesota ......:    13.5      22.0    1,650     1,750      22,275    38,500
Montana ........:    61.0      78.0    1,380     1,700      84,180   132,600
North Dakota ...: 1,190.0   1,400.0    1,800     1,870   2,142,000 2,618,000
Oklahoma .......:   155.0     125.0      620     1,500      96,100   187,500
Oregon .........:    10.0       1.7    1,500     1,000      15,000     1,700
Washington .....:    47.0      34.0    1,200     1,000      56,400    34,000
                :
Other States 1/ :    45.2      37.5      749     1,227      33,840    46,000
                :
United States ..: 1,555.7   1,726.2    1,614     1,791   2,510,995 3,091,900
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1/ Other States include Colorado and Kansas.