STAT Communications Ag Market News

Record Low Sorghum Area

WASHINGTON - Mar 29/19 - SNS -- Growers intend to plant 5.14 million acres of sorghum for all purposes in 2019, down 10% from last year, according to this year's USDA seeding intentions report.

Area planted to sorghum in the United States will be the lowest planted acreage on record, if realized. As of March 24, Texas growers had planted 35% of their expected acreage, 4%age points ahead of last year and 12%age points ahead of the 5 year average.

Beginning in 2019, sorghum estimates were discontinued in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, and North Carolina.

Sorghum Area Planted - States and United States: 2017-2019
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :                                 Area planted
        State       :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :       2017        :       2018        :      2019 1/      :    Percent of
                    :                   :                   :                   :   previous year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :       ---------------- 1,000 acres ----------------              percent
                    :
Arkansas 2/ ........:           9                  12                (NA)                (X)
Colorado ...........:         410                 355                 375                106
Georgia 2/ .........:          21                  25                (NA)                (X)
Illinois 2/ ........:          17                  18                (NA)                (X)
Kansas .............:       2,600               2,800               2,750                 98
Louisiana 2/ .......:          15                   8                (NA)                (X)
Mississippi 2/ .....:           5                   4                (NA)                (X)
Missouri 2/ ........:          30                  30                (NA)                (X)
Nebraska ...........:         180                 230                 210                 91
New Mexico 2/ ......:          85                  80                (NA)                (X)
                    :
North Carolina 2/ ..:          22                  18                (NA)                (X)
Oklahoma ...........:         315                 300                 250                 83
South Dakota .......:         270                 260                 200                 77
Texas ..............:       1,650               1,550               1,350                 87
                    :
United States ......:       5,629               5,690               5,135                 90
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(NA) Not available.
(X)  Not applicable.
1/   Intended plantings in 2019 as indicated by reports from farmers.
2/   Estimates discontinued in 2019.

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