Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Apr 16 2018

Reducing Blackbird Damage

As producers gear up for planting, now is a good time to think about blackbirds and reducing the damage they could cause to this year’s sunflower crop. USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services recommends not planting sunflower in close proximity to large cattail sloughs (blackbird roosts) if at all possible. If you do plant close to cattails, consider spraying cattails with glyphosate in accordance with the label, or mowing cattails if possible. Something else to consider is developing roads or trails in larger fields (quarter or more) to allow access to the middle of fields. Birds always go to the center of the field where you can’t reach them. Trails or roads allow you many more locations and better accessibility to move blackbirds out of the field and reduce losses. Click here for more tips to reduce blackbird damage.

Sunflower Oil Exports Increase

Canada remains the top importer of U.S. sunflower oil, and exports are up by more than 1,500 metric tons (MT) from this time last year. From October 2017 to February 2018, Canada imported 8,670 MT of sunflower oil, compared to 7,128 MT from October 2016 to February 2017. Mexico is the second leading importer of U.S. sunflower oil; Mexico has imported 3,542 MT of sunflower oil so far this marketing year, which is up from 2,027 MT during the same time frame a year ago.

Sunflower Planting Pointers

As sunflower planting approaches, paying attention to planter calibration and planter speed can go a long way toward achieving a successful, uniform sunflower stand. Click here to check out the top ten sunflower planting pointers.

Registration is now open for our 2018 NSA Summer Seminar, scheduled for June 26-28, 2018. This year’s Summer Seminar will be held at the Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, Minnesota. Click here to register on our website. You’ll find our tentative schedule there too, as well as hotel information and more. A block of rooms has been reserved there for June 25-28. There’s a link on our website, under “Hotel Information” to make your reservation. The room block will be released May 25, 2018 but may fill up much faster so don’t wait! The program is being finalized now and more information will be coming soon. Check the NSA website for further updates. Contact Tina Mittelsteadt at tinam@sunflowernsa.com with any questions.

Would you like to get a link to a digital copy of Sunflower Highlights every week in your email? It’s easy! Click here to sign up on our website. You can also sign up for a digital copy of our magazine, The Sunflower, there. And click here to find updated sunflower prices at various locations.

Upcoming Events

June 26-28, 2018 - NSA Summer Seminar, Arrowwod Resort, Alexandria, MN
January 9-10, 2019 - NSA Research Forum, Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND

Markets

USDA’s April US/World supply and demand report was termed a nonevent by most of the trade. USDA lowered the Argentine soybean crop and raised Brazil soybean crop production as expected. They also lowered US soybean carryout by only 5 million bushels, raised US soymeal exports and increased US soyoil ending stocks. Old and new crop sunflower prices have been relatively firm with little movement in the past week. New crop prices remain $1.65 - $2.65 per cwt. higher than last year. There is still time to take advantage of the market opportunities that sunflowers can offer as crushing plants are still offering Act of God (AOG) and cash new crop contracts. Sunflower is one of the only oilseeds that pay premiums for oil content above 40%. Considering oil premiums that are offered at the crush plants on oil content above 40% at a rate of 2% price premium for each 1% of oil above 40%; this pushes a $18.70 contract with 45% oil content gross return 10% higher per cwt and would raise the cash price to over $20.50. An AOG contract at $18.10 per hundredweight to almost $20.00. Trading for the next few weeks willmainly revolve around the USDA reports,competition for 2018 acreage,export sales, plus news of any potential tariffs levied by China and impact it might have on US exports.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, April 16, 2018 ($/CWT)

	Deliver	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change	2018 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil	Nearby	31.80	31.52	31.18	-.34	32.38
Fargo, ND	NuSun	14.90	17.80	17.80	NC	18.60
Fargo, ND	High Oleic	NQ	17.65	17.75	+.10	18.60
Enderlin, ND	NuSun	14.95	17.70	17.70	NC	18.50
Enderlin, ND	High Oleic	NQ	17.70	17.70	NC	18.70
Goodland, KS	NuSun	13.70	16.95	16.95	NC	17.45
Goodland, KS	High Oleic	15.35	17.95	17.95	NC	18.45

Prices recorded here are believed to be reliable at the time of posting. All prices are subject to change. Contact these facilities for complete market details.

U.S. CRUDE OIL VALUES recorded on Monday, April 16, 2017
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)

	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change
Soybean Oil	29.30	29.72	29.38	-.34
Cotton Oil (psby)	37.80	29,52	29.18	-.34
Corn Oil	43.00	34.00	32.00	-2.00