Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Aug 13 2018
Crop Progress
Nearly all of North Dakota's sunflowers are blooming, with 93 percent of the crop reported blooming. Meanwhile, harvest continues in Texas.
Crop Progress - Monday, August 13, 2018 
State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average
North Dakota        
Blooming 93 81 84 72
Petals Dry 7 0 4 NA
Texas        
Harvested NA 48 30 17
Crop Conditions - Monday, August 13, 2018
State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
North Dakota 0 2 25 66 5
Minnesota 0 1 26 54 19
Colorado 2 4 25 61 8
Make Sunflower Harvest a Top Priority This Year
Successful sunflower growers that deal with blackbird pressure have found it helpful to desiccate the sunflower cop 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:
Markets
Traders were expecting a bearish USDA supply and demand report last week and USDA did not disappoint. USDA raised its outlook for yield and production for both corn and soybeans beyond all trade expectations in its monthly report. Soybean production is seen at 4.586 billion bushels. This compared with analyst projections of 4.407 billion bushels. In July, the government estimated output at 4.31 billion bushels. Carryover stocks were pegged at 785 million bushels according to USDA. Analysts had expected 638 million bushels and the USDA in its July forecast said 580 million bushels would be in storage at the end of the next marketing year. USDA's new crop ending stocks estimate, at 785 million bushels, exceeds pre-report expectations by more than 205 million bushels. World ending stocks for new crop soybeans came in at 105.94 million metric tons (MMT), up 7.7 MMT, driven mostly by higher US production. If realized, this would set US and World carryout to new record highs. After the report was released soybean prices were down hard and some in the trade think the numbers suggest we have not yet seen the bottom. Last week sunflower prices at the crush plants were down 15 cents to unchanged. In most areas the crop continues to develop ahead of the five-year average pace. In states reporting crop conditions, the crop is being rated at 69 to 73 percent good to excellent condition.
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