Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Aug 15 2016

Crop Progress

Sunflower fields opened up in Kansas over the past week - sunflower there went from 59 percent blooming last week to 71 percent this week. In North Dakota, some fields are already finished blooming, and those fields are looking good; 72 percent of the sunflower crop in North Dakota is rated good to excellent.

Crop Progress - Monday, August 15, 2016

State	This Week	Last Week	Last Year	5 Year Average
North Dakota
Blooming	95	84	90	73
Petals Dry	8	NA	8	NA
South Dakota
Blooming	71	56	70	68
Texas
Harvested	NA	8	30	12
Kansas
Blooming	71	59	46	58

Crop Conditions - Monday, August 15, 2016

State	Very Poor	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
North Dakota	1	4	22	67	6
South Dakota	1	13	37	45	4
Minnesota	2	3	37	45	4
Colorado	0	3	25	64	8
Kansas	0	2	29	63	6

Grower Report

It’s been an “ahead of schedule” summer for Bismarck, ND producer Clark Coleman. Coleman finished his small grain harvest about two weeks ahead of normal, and says his sunflower crop is also maturing about two weeks earlier than normal. Coleman says his 1,300 acres of high oleic sunflower are done flowering and starting to mature nicely. He says his sunflower fields have received good moisture in recent weeks, and as long as the winds and hail don’t hit his fields, he should have a good sunflower crop.

Make Sunflower Harvest a Top Priority This Year

Successful sunflower growers that deal with blackbird pressure have found it helps 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:

Markets

The markets have been ugly and extremely volatile for most crops since early July. Sunflower prices on the other hand have been quietly picking up steam. Oil values have been gaining on meal and this has been positive for sunflower prices. Old crop NuSun prices have added 70 cents to $1.30 per hundredweight since the July low at the crush plants. When initially announced last fall, new crop NuSun prices were in a range of $16.50-$16.70 in the Northern Plains and $16.00 in the High Plains. New crop prices have also followed the recent oil rally. Today, new crop NuSun set a new high at $18.25 in the Northern Plains. In the High Plains, new crop NuSun contracts are at $17.85 which is only 5 cents off the high set earlier this summer. Something else to add into the new crop price is the 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%. For example, a $18.25 contract with 45% oil content results in a 10% price premium which pushes gross return over $20.00 per cwt. Crushers are still offering 2016 new crop NuSun and high oleic sunflower contracts.