Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Sep 05 2017
Crop Progress
The Kansas sunflower crop is right on schedule - 93 percent of the sunflower there are reported blooming, which is on track with last year's 94 percent and 92 percent over the past five years. Petals are dry on 26 percent of the sunflower crop, consistent with both last year and the five year average. 66 percent of the sunflower crop in Kansas is in good to excellent condition.
Crop Progress - Tuesday, September 5, 2017
State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average
North Dakota        
Petals Dry 72 43 76 63
Bracts Yellow 35 14 49 19
Mature 3 1 6 ----
South Dakota        
Blooming 95 90 81 95
Petals Dry 34 21 34 41
Bracts Yellow 6 1 8 16
Mature 1 ---- ---- ----
Kansas        
Blooming 93 81 94 92
Petals Dry 26 6 26 26
Bracts Yellow 7 ---- ---- ----
Mature 1 ---- ---- ----
Texas        
Harvested NA 35 25 37
Crop Conditions - Tuesday, September 5, 2017
State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
North Dakota 7 16 44 33 0
South Dakota 6 21 49 22 2
Minnesota 0 0 12 67 21
Colorado 0 2 15 81 2
Kansas 0 3 31 62 4
Grower Report
Dickinson, ND area producer Art Ridl says his sunflower crop is right on schedule. He says he just finished spraying his 1,900 acres of high oleic sunflowers for weevils and they should be ready for harvest by mid-October. Despite a lack of rain, Ridl says about half of his sunflower crop should be a good crop.
Benefits of Desiccation
Now is a great time to start thinking about desiccating your sunflower crop. Getting the crop harvested several weeks early can result in higher yields and lower drying costs. Late season crop damage and blackbird damage can be reduced and desiccation may also slow down head diseases such as Sclerotinia. Early dry down can also minimize artificial drying costs. September and the first half of October harvest can often allow the use of air- drying to lower seed moisture in storage. Click here to learn more about desiccation.
USDA Provides Help with Blackbirds
As sunflowers ripen, blackbirds are beginning to appear and cause problems. The USDA can help; click here for a map with phone numbers for USDA Wildlife Services personnel that can help North Dakota producers that have blackbird problems. Some other ways to reduce damage include cattail management, cannons, harassment, desiccants, and repellants. They are even more effective when used together.
Upcoming Events
January 10-11, 2018 – NSA Research Forum, Fargo, ND
June 26-28, 2018 – NSA Summer Seminar, Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria, MN
Markets
The rally in August birdfood prices led to a lot of crop being traded in the past month. Since hitting a high of $22 per cwt birdfood prices continue to back off and are now in a range of $17.00-$18.00 on the increased sales. Seed prices at the crush plants continue to trade above the 45-day moving average. Sunflower prices ended the week mixed at down 15 to up 20 per cwt. With the summer market rally cooling off, buyers will anxiously watch crop production prospects before making longer term purchases. Mid-August through September is the critical time frame for sunflowers. The biggest unknown is the drought impact on production in the Dakotas, the largest sunflower producers. A significant drop off in yield will impact the market. In March, USDA did report sunflower seed stocks in all positions at 1.33 billion pounds.  Stocks of oil type sunflower seed were at 1.05 billion pounds up 36 percent from last year at the same time. Non-oil sunflower stocks totaled 277 million pounds, down 5 percent from last year as well. The stocks situation will be updated at the end of September. In October, USDA will provide an updated estimate for oil and non-oil sunflower production.  These reports and demand news will set the tone for new crop sunflower price direction in the near term.
Weekly Prices Recorded on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 ($/CWT)
  Deliver Last Year Last Week This Week Change 2017 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil Nearby 32.76 34.59 35.10 +.51 35.44
Fargo, ND NuSun 17.85 17.60 17.45 -.15 16.70
Enderlin, ND NuSun 18.05 17.40 17.30 -.10 16.85
Goodland, KS NuSun 17.05 17.25 17.45 +.20 17.45
Goodland, KS High Oleic 18.05 18.25 18.45 +.20 18.45
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 Tuesday, September 5, 2017
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)
  Last Year Last Week This Week Change
Soybean Oil 31.11 33.09 33.69 +.60
Cotton Oil (psby) 42.86 34.59 35.31 +.72
Corn Oil 46.00 37.50 37.50 NC
return to top of page

   More about Sunflower ►