U.S. Sugarbeet Harvest Shrinks

WASHINGTON Nov 10/14 - SNS -- Production of sugarbeets for the 2014 crop year is forecast at 31.4 million tons, down 2% from the previous forecast and down 4% from last year, according to the latest USDA crop report.

Producers expect to harvest 1.15 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but down 1% from 2013. Expected yield is forecast at 27.4 tons per acre, a decrease of 1.0 ton from last year.

Sugarbeet Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States: 2013 and
Forecasted November 1, 2014
[Relates to year of intended harvest in all States except California]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              :  Area harvested   :          Yield per acre           :    Production
              :---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     State    :         :         :         :          2014           :         :
              :  2013   :  2014   :  2013   :-------------------------:  2013   :  2014
              :         :         :         : October 1  : November 1 :         :
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              : -- 1,000 acres --    ------------ tons -----------      -- 1,000 tons --
              :
California 1/ :    24.3      24.5    44.4        44.6         44.4       1,079     1,088
Colorado .....:    25.7      29.1    33.5        32.5         31.5         861       917
Idaho ........:   174.0     169.0    36.2        36.0         37.1       6,299     6,270
Michigan .....:   153.0     150.0    26.2        29.5         29.9       4,009     4,485
Minnesota ....:   426.0     435.0    26.0        24.1         22.6      11,076     9,831
Montana ......:    42.8      44.5    29.2        34.2         32.2       1,250     1,433
Nebraska .....:    44.2      46.0    29.7        29.6         29.0       1,313     1,334
North Dakota .:   225.0     211.0    25.3        24.0         23.6       5,693     4,980
Oregon .......:     9.3       6.5    38.4        35.1         36.6         357       238
Wyoming ......:    29.7      30.1    29.5        28.6         27.1         876       816
              :
United States : 1,154.0   1,145.7    28.4        28.0         27.4      32,813    31,392
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Relates to year of intended harvest for fall planted beets in central California and
   to year of planting for overwintered beets in central and southern California.