Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Aug 12 2019

Crop Progress

In North Dakota, 63% of the sunflower crop is blooming, that's well behind last year's 91%. Sunflower in North Dakota are rated 75% good to excellent condition, while in Minnesota 82% of the crop is rated good to excellent.

Crop Progress - Monday, August 12, 2019

State	This Week	Last Week	Last Year	5 Year Average
North Dakota
Blooming	63	35	91	79
Texas
Harvested	NA	34	55	27

Crop Conditions - Monday, August 12, 2019

State	Very Poor	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
North Dakota	0	4	20	69	7
Colorado	0	0	19	70	11
Minnesota	0	0	18	69	13

Make Sunflower Harvest a Top Priority This Year

Successful sunflower growers that deal with blackbird pressure have found it helpful to desiccate the sunflower crop and harvest early, before the birds move in. The grower might be able to get by without desiccating, but why take a chance when it comes to blackbirds? It will mean extra money in the bank this fall. Here are some helpful links as you prepare for sunflower harvest:

Grower Report

Despite a stormy weekend, Regent, ND producer Josh Greff says his 700 acres of NuSun sunflowers look very good. He says nearly two inches of rain fell on Sunday, and hail hit some of his sunflower fields, which are just starting to bloom. Greff says his sunflowers will recover though, and he’s looking forward to a good harvest.

Markets

In the past week old crop NuSun and high oleic prices continued their upward movement hitting new market highs once again at the North Dakota crush plants. Old crop prices added another 50 to 65 cents. New crop prices for NuSun and high oleic are currently very close to market highs as well. Something else to consider is the oil premiums that crush plants pay on sunflower. Sunflower is the only oilseed that pays 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 contract with 45% oil content gross return 10% higher per cwt. The AOG $16.95 contract increases to $18.65 and the cash $17.45 contract moves up to $19.20. In most areas the crop continues to develop slightly behind the five-year average pace. In states reporting crop conditions, the crop is being rated at 75 to 83 percent good to excellent condition.Weather conditions and crop development will come into focus more for the trade as we get into Mid-August through September, the critical time frame for sunflower. On the U.S./China trade front, both sides seem to be digging in for a long drawn out negotiation process. Any positive progress in U.S./China trade talks and USDA August acreage and production figures will be the key to prices in the weeks ahead.