Little Change in Sugarbeet Area

WASHINGTON - Mar 31/16 - SNS -- Area expected to be planted to sugarbeets for the 2016 crop year is estimated at 1.16 million acres, virtually unchanged from 2015, according to the USDA's seeding intentions report for 2016.

Intended plantings are below the previous year in five of the eleven estimating States and above in three States.

Sugarbeet Area Planted - States and United States: 2014-2016
[Relates to year of intended harvest in all States except California]
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                    :                                 Area planted
        State       :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :       2014        :       2015        :      2016 1/      :    Percent of
                    :                   :                   :                   :   previous year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :      ----------------- 1,000 acres -----------------             percent
                    :
California 2/ ......:         24.3                25.0                25.0               100
Colorado ...........:         29.6                27.5                32.8               119
Idaho ..............:        170.0               171.0               174.0               102
Michigan ...........:        151.0               152.0               151.0                99
Minnesota ..........:        440.0               443.0               444.0               100
Montana ............:         45.1                44.1                42.0                95
Nebraska ...........:         49.1                47.5                40.8                86
North Dakota .......:        215.0               208.0               210.0               101
Oregon .............:          7.5                 9.2                 7.0                76
Washington 3/ ......:         (NA)                (NA)                 2.0               (X)
Wyoming ............:         30.9                31.5                30.0                95
                    :
United States ......:      1,162.5             1,158.8             1,158.6               100
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(NA) Not available.
(X)  Not applicable.
1/   Intended plantings in 2016 as indicated by reports from processors.
2/   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.
3/   Estimates began in 2016.