Bigger Sugarbeet Crop Seen

WASHINGTON - Aug 13/15 - SNS -- Production of sugarbeets for the 2015 crop year is forecast at 34.2 million tons, up 9% from last year, according to the latest USDA production forecast for 2015.

Planted area is forecast at 1.16 million acres, down slightly from the June Acreage report and down slightly from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.14 million acres, up slightly from the previous forecast but down slightly from 2014. Expected yield is forecast at 29.9 tons per acre, an increase of 2.5 tons from last year.

Sugarbeet Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States: 2014 and
Forecasted August 1, 2015
[Relates to year of intended harvest in all States except California]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               :    Area harvested     :    Yield per acre     :      Production
     State     :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
               :   2014    :   2015    :   2014    :   2015    :   2014    :   2015
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               :  --- 1,000 acres ---      ----- tons -----       --- 1,000 tons ---
               :
California 1/ .:     22.6        25.0      44.4        44.8        1,003       1,120
Colorado ......:     29.3        26.7      31.3        32.1          917         857
Idaho .........:    169.0       168.0      37.5        38.0        6,338       6,384
Michigan ......:    150.0       151.0      29.3        30.0        4,395       4,530
Minnesota .....:    434.0       431.0      22.5        27.1        9,765      11,680
Montana .......:     44.4        43.8      32.3        30.6        1,434       1,340
Nebraska ......:     45.9        47.0      29.1        26.2        1,336       1,231
North Dakota ..:    215.0       208.0      23.8        27.0        5,117       5,616
Oregon ........:      6.5        12.7      34.7        39.0          226         495
Wyoming .......:     30.0        30.8      27.8        31.1          834         958
               :
United States .:  1,146.7     1,144.0      27.4        29.9       31,365      34,211
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.