20% Smaller Sorghum Crop

WASHINGTON - Aug 12/16 - SNS -- Sorghum production is forecast at 475 million bushels, down 20% from last year, according to the USDA's latest estimate for the crop.

Area harvested for grain is forecast at 6.46 million acres, unchanged from the June forecast but down 18% from 2015. Based on August 1 conditions, yield is forecast at 73.5 bushels per acre, 2.5 bushels below the record high 2015 average of 76.0 bushels per acre.

Sorghum for Grain Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States: 2015
and Forecasted August 1, 2016
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                    :    Area harvested     :    Yield per acre     :      Production
        State       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :   2015    :   2016    :   2015    :   2016    :   2015    :   2016
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :   -- 1,000 acres --       ---- bushels ----      -- 1,000 bushels --
                    :
Arkansas ...........:     440          37       98.0         88.0       43,120       3,256
Colorado ...........:     400         340       55.0         47.0       22,000      15,980
Kansas .............:   3,200       2,900       88.0         84.0      281,600     243,600
Louisiana ..........:      74          63       85.0         97.0        6,290       6,111
Mississippi ........:     115          18       79.0         90.0        9,085       1,620
Missouri ...........:     140          66       94.0        103.0       13,160       6,798
Nebraska ...........:     240         150       96.0         93.0       23,040      13,950
Oklahoma ...........:     410         380       52.0         50.0       21,320      19,000
South Dakota .......:     220         185       83.0         79.0       18,260      14,615
Texas ..............:   2,450       2,150       61.0         65.0      149,450     139,750
                    :
Other States 1/ ....:     162         167       58.2         59.9        9,426      10,000
                    :
United States ......:   7,851       6,456       76.0         73.5      596,751     474,680
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1/ For 2015, Other States include Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, and New Mexico. For 2016,
   Other States include Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, and North Carolina. Individual State
   level estimates will be published in the "Crop Production 2016 Summary."