Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Aug 01 2016
Crop Progress
Nearly 60 percent of North Dakota's sunflower crop is blooming, that's well ahead of the average of 28 percent, and last year's 45 percent. Sunflower fields are also blooming in South Dakota and Kansas. In Kansas, 69 percent of the crop is rated in good to excellent condition.
Crop Progress - Monday, August 1, 2016
State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average
North Dakota        
Blooming 59 22 45 28
South Dakota        
Blooming 32 18 17 21
Kansas        
Blooming 38 20 19 26
Crop Conditions - Monday, August 1, 2016
State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
North Dakota 1 5 22 67 5
South Dakota 0 10 43 46 1
Minnesota 2 3 38 50 7
Colorado 0 1 26 65 8
Kansas 0 2 29 63 6
Grower Report
Colorado producer Leon Zimbelman says this year’s sunflower crop looks good, despite recent hail storms. He says hail hit only a few producers, and for the most part, the sunflower fared well. His confection sunflower crop is just starting to bloom; he expects them to be in full bloom by the end of the week.
Keep Scouting for Insects
Scouting is critical during early flowering sunflowers. Pheromone trap catches continue to show high numbers of banded sunflower moths and sunflower moths located in southeast and north central ND. It appears that the SW ND has high numbers of red sunflower seed weevil adults now. Peak emergence of RSSWs is usually late July to the first week of August. Alfalfa webworm larvae (worms) have been observed causing foliar defoliation in sunflower, mainly in north central ND as well. For the latest information, click here to read the ND Crop & Pest report #13.
Markets
Buyers are anxiously watching crop production prospects before making longer term purchases. August-September is the critical timeframe for sunflowers. Currently the majority of the US sunflower crop is rated in good to excellent condition and growing conditions in most of the growing region has been favorable for development. CBoT price action has been volatile in the past three weeks, but sunflower prices at the crush plants have remained relatively firm at unchanged to up 15 cents during this time. In most years this would be disappointing but with the wild price swings and resulting huge losses that other crops have experienced during this same timeframe it is positive for sunflower prices going forward. Something else to keep in mind is oil premiums that are paid on sunflower. Oil premiums 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%. The market will continue to trade weather in the week ahead with traders adding or backing off the weather premium depending on the latest weather forecast.  CBoT traders are also keeping track of Chinese sales from their reserve soybean stocks. Concerns continue to circulate that China may import fewer soybeans than expected this year as it produces more plus sells supplies from its domestic reserves.
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