Smaller Sugarbeet Harvest Seen

WASHINGTON - Aug 10/17 - SNS -- Production of sugarbeets for the 2017 crop year is forecast at 36.3 million tons, down 1% from last year, according to the latest USDA production estimate's of the season.

Planted area is forecast at 1.12 million acres, down 1% from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.09 million acres, down 3% from 2016. Expected yield is forecast at 33.4 tons per acre, an increase of 0.7 ton from last year.

The crop was progressing well in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington with no major disease issues. Producers were expecting high yields in Montana, Colorado, and Nebraska. Some areas of Michigan received excessive rainfall in late June that hindered yield potential.

Sugarbeet Area Planted and Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and
United States: 2016 and Forecasted August 1, 2017
[Relates to year of intended harvest in all States except California]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              :    Area harvested     :    Yield per acre     :      Production
     State    :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
              :   2016    :   2017    :   2016    :   2017    :   2016    :   2017
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              :  --- 1,000 acres ---      ----- tons -----      ---- 1,000 tons ----
              :
California 1/ :     25.0        25.2      44.3        44.7       1,108.0     1,126.0
Colorado .....:     27.6        28.1      33.6        36.6         927.0     1,028.0
Idaho ........:    170.0       167.0      41.4        41.9       7,038.0     6,997.0
Michigan .....:    149.0       142.5      30.8        30.9       4,589.0     4,403.0
Minnesota ....:    417.0       405.0      30.0        30.4      12,510.0    12,312.0
Montana ......:     45.3        42.0      35.0        36.4       1,586.0     1,529.0
Nebraska .....:     47.2        48.4      29.9        32.4       1,411.0     1,568.0
North Dakota .:    203.0       192.0      30.8        32.2       6,242.0     6,182.0
Oregon .......:     10.2         8.8      42.0        39.9         428.0       351.0
Washington ...:      1.9         1.8      47.9        47.4          91.0        85.0
Wyoming ......:     30.0        27.1      31.7        28.2         951.0       764.0
              :
United States :  1,126.2     1,087.9      32.7        33.4      36,881.0    36,345.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.