USAgNet.com - National/World News - Wheat Production Down 20 Percent From Last year, Hay Up

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Wheat Production Down 20 Percent From Last year, Hay Up
USAgNet - 05/13/2009

Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.50 billion bushels, down 20 percent from 2008, reports the USDA's National Ag Statistics Service. Expected area for harvest as grain or seed totals 34.0 million acres, down 14 percent from last year. Based on May 1 conditions, the U.S. yield is forecast at 44.2 bushels per acre, down 3.0 bushels from the previous year.

Hard Red production is down 16 percent from a year ago to 871 million bushels. Soft Red production is down 31 percent and totals 422 million bushels. White production totals 208 million bushels, down 5 percent from a year ago. Of the White production total, 20.8 million bushels are Hard White and 188 million bushels are Soft White.

All hay stored on farms May 1 totaled 22.1 million tons, up 2 percent from a year ago. Disappearance from December 1, 2008-May 1, 2009 totaled 81.6 million tons, compared with 82.5 million tons for the same period a year ago.

The U.S. all orange forecast for the 2008-09 season is 9.16 million tons, unchanged from the April forecast but 9 percent lower than the 2007-08 final utilization of 10.1 million tons. The Florida all orange forecast, at 158 million boxes (7.09 million tons), is unchanged from the previous forecast but down 7 percent from last season’s final utilization. Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 84.6 million boxes (3.81 million tons), unchanged from the April forecast but up 1 percent from last season. The Florida Valencia forecast, at 73.0 million boxes (3.29 million tons), is unchanged from the previous forecast but 16 percent less than the 2007-08 crop. The monthly row count survey indicated that harvest of early, midseason, and navel oranges was essentially complete for the season and that approximately 52 percent of the Valencia orange rows had been harvested. Valencia fruit size continued to measure below average and the rate of fruit drop remained slightly above average. Arizona, California, and Texas orange production forecasts are carried forward from April.

Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield forecast for the 2008-09 season is 1.65 gallons per box at 42 degrees Brix, up 1 percent from the April forecast but 1 percent lower than last season’s record yield of 1.67 gallons per box. The early-midseason portion is final at a record high 1.60 gallons per box, up 3 percent from last season’s final yield of 1.55 gallons per box. The Valencia portion increased from 1.70 gallons per box to 1.73 gallons per box, 3 percent lower than last year’s final yield of 1.79 gallons per box. All projections of yield assume the processing relationships this season will be similar to those of the past several seasons.