Major Drop in Sunflower Seedings
WASHINGTON - Jun 30/17 - SNS -- Area planted to sunflower in 2017 totals 1.27 million acres, down 21% from 2016 and is the lowest planted area for the Nation since 1976, according to the USDA's seeded area estimates for 2017.
Compared with last year, growers in four of the eight major sunflower-producing States expect a decline in sunflower acreage this year. Planted area in North Dakota, last year's leading sunflower-producing State, declined 318,000 acres from 2016. Planted area in North Dakota, at 370,000 acres, represents the lowest planted area since 1971. Producers in South Dakota planted 550,000 acres in 2017, a decrease of 8,000 acres from last year. Harvested area for the Nation is forecast at 1.21 million acres, down 21% from last year.
Planted area of oil type varieties, at 1.08 million acres, is down 24% from 2016, and is the lowest since 1976. Area planted to non-oil varieties, estimated at 186,000 acres, is up 4% from last year but is the second lowest planted area since 1983.
Planting began in early May and progressed at or ahead of normal throughout the month. As of May 28, 41% of the intended crop had been planted, 1 percentage point behind last year's pace but 12 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Planting progress remained ahead of normal in the Dakotas throughout the month of June, while progress in Colorado and Kansas was able to catch up to the normal pace by the third week of June. As of June 25, producers had planted 97% of the crop in the four major States, 1 percentage point ahead of last year and 8 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average.
Sunflower Area Planted and Harvested by Type - States and United States:
2016 and 2017
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Area planted : Area harvested
Varietal type :---------------------------------------------------------------
and State : 2016 : 2017 : 2016 : 2017 1/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: 1,000 acres
:
Oil :
California .......: 45.0 56.0 44.5 55.5
Colorado .........: 60.0 60.0 57.0 56.0
Kansas ...........: 45.0 55.0 42.0 51.0
Minnesota ........: 66.0 33.0 64.0 32.0
Nebraska .........: 29.0 55.0 28.0 51.0
North Dakota .....: 630.0 310.0 610.0 300.0
South Dakota .....: 510.0 490.0 495.0 475.0
Texas ............: 33.0 20.0 28.0 18.0
:
United States ....: 1,418.0 1,079.0 1,368.5 1,038.5
:
Non-oil :
California .......: 1.6 3.0 1.5 3.0
Colorado .........: 14.0 14.0 13.0 13.0
Kansas ...........: 18.0 15.0 16.0 14.0
Minnesota ........: 14.0 16.0 13.5 15.5
Nebraska .........: 12.5 6.0 11.0 5.5
North Dakota .....: 58.0 60.0 55.0 57.0
South Dakota .....: 48.0 60.0 45.0 57.0
Texas ............: 12.5 12.0 10.5 10.5
:
United States ....: 178.6 186.0 165.5 175.5
:
All :
California .......: 46.6 59.0 46.0 58.5
Colorado .........: 74.0 74.0 70.0 69.0
Kansas ...........: 63.0 70.0 58.0 65.0
Minnesota ........: 80.0 49.0 77.5 47.5
Nebraska .........: 41.5 61.0 39.0 56.5
North Dakota .....: 688.0 370.0 665.0 357.0
South Dakota .....: 558.0 550.0 540.0 532.0
Texas ............: 45.5 32.0 38.5 28.5
:
United States ....: 1,596.6 1,265.0 1,534.0 1,214.0
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1/ Forecasted.
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