Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Dec 10 2018

RMA Changes Final Planting Date in North Dakota

NSA requested, and the USDA Risk Management Agency approved a change to the final planting date in North Dakota counties for sunflower for the 2019 crop season. ND counties that had a June 5 final planting date will now be June 10 and counties that had a June 10 final planting date will be June 15. The late planting period will begin the day after the final planting date for the insured crop and end 20 days after the final planting date. The change aligns ND counties with final planting dates in neighboring states and gives producers five more days of full insurance coverage. It may also encourage producers to plant the crop rather than taking a prevent plant option in wetter springs as well.

Sunflower Breakout Session at Prairie Grains Conference

The Minnesota Sunflower Council is sponsoring a breakout session featuring Dr. Sam Markell NDSU EXT Plant Pathologist at the Prairie Grains Conference, December 13, 2018, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, ND. Markell will discuss identification and management updates of several important diseases of sunflower, with emphasis on Phomopsis stem canker, downy mildew and rust. The breakout session will be presented at 11:15 a.m. with a repeat of the session at 2:30 p.m.

Additional Time to Harvest Due to Wet Conditions

If extremely wet or snowy conditions has delayed your harvest, the USDA Risk Management Agency’s procedures allows your crop insurance company to authorize policyholders, on a case-by-case basis, more time to attempt to harvest so claims can be settled based on actual harvested production. Contact your crop insurance agent immediately to notify them that your harvest is delayed because of bad weather and your insurance provider may allow additional time to complete harvest. Click here for more information.

Registration is open for the 2019 NSA Research Forum, scheduled for January 9-10, 2019 at the Holiday Inn (3803 13^th Avenue South, Fargo, ND). Click here to register for the forum at the early bird price of $130. Registration will increase to $145 on December 28 2018.

Exports of Sunflower Oil Increase

Final sunflower oil exports for the 2017-18 marketing year are in, and oil exports are up. From October 2017 to September 2018, 40,384 metric tons (MT) of sunflower oil was exported. That’s compared to 32,460 MT during the same time period in 2016-17. Canada remains the top importer of U.S. sunflower oil, importing 20,282 MT of sunflower oil during 2017-18. That’s up from Canada’s 17,869 MT of sunflower imported during 2016-17. Sunflower oil exports to Mexico tripled from 4,874 MT in 2016-17 to 12,572 MT during 2017-18. Exports of confection sunflower, both in-shell and kernel, are both down slightly from 2016-17. From October 2017 to September 2018, 8,345 MT of kernel was exported, compared to 9,652 MT a year ago. Exports of kernel to Canada increased from 3,996 MT to 4,449 MT. In-shell exports were down from 45,158 MT in 2016-17 to 43,731 MT in 2017-18. Spain remains the top importer, importing 20,737 MT during 2017-18, up from 18,088 MT during the previous marketing year.

Seed Quality

High Plains	2018	2017
Oil Content	40.2%	39.0%
Foreign Material	4.7%	6.0%
Moisture	8.7%	8.1%
Test Weight	28.1 lbs	28.5 lbs
Northern Plains	2018	2017
Oil Content	44.1%	42.7%
Foreign Material	3.8%	4.8%
Moisture	9.9%	9.3%
Test Weight	30.5 lbs	29.2 lbs

Upcoming Events

January 9-10, 2019 – NSA Research Forum, Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND
June 25-27, 2019 – NSA Summer Seminar, Medora, ND

Markets

Sunflower prices at the crush plants ended the week mixed, with NuSun unchanged to up 10 cents and High Oleic unchanged to up 20 cents. Birdfood prices continue in a holding pattern but have seen some upward movement in some locations. Two years ago, harvest pressure and heavy producer selling caused prices to crash and nearby sunflower prices were trading in range of $14.35-$14.75 at the crush plants. That will likely not be the case this marketing year as reduced acreage and slower deliveries have led to little harvest pressure this year. Nearby prices at the crush plants have held steady to up slightly higher the past two weeks. It is very possible that the market low has already been established and prices will remain relatively firm for the foreseeable future. The annual acreage battle will crank up in the US after the new year. Soybean supply is at a record global level. Wheat and corn are also facing a plentiful global supply and stiff international competition. The market is also closely watching developments in the US-China trade negotiations and if the Chinese start buying US soybeans. Overall price direction will be determined by export demand news and South American oilseed production prospects in the near term. USDA will release its supply and demand report this week. Traders are anticipating that any significant changes to production, stocks and usage will come in the January report.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, December 10, 2018 ($/CWT)

	Deliver	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change	2019 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil	Nearby	33.40	28.31	28.52	+.21	30.06
Fargo, ND	NuSun	17.70	16.80	16.90	+.10	17.00
Fargo, ND	High Oleic	17.60	16.50	16.70	+.20	17.00
Enderlin, ND	NuSun	17.45	16.65	16.65	NC	17.00
Enderlin, ND	High Oleic	17.45	16.85	16.85	NC	17.20
Goodland, KS	NuSun	16.55	16.60	16.60	NC	NQ
Goodland, KS	High Oleic	17.55	17.70	17.70	NC	NQ

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, December 10, 2018
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)

	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change
Soybean Oil	31.96	27.97	28.16	+.19
Cotton Oil (psby)	32,46	31.57	31.76	+.19
Corn Oil	37.50	30.00	30.00	NC