Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Mar 23 2020

K-State scientist earns early career award for fighting weeds

Vipan Kumar, an assistant professor of weed science at the Kansas State University Agricultural Research Center in Hays, received one of the top awards for young professionals during a joint meeting of the Weed Science Society of America and Western Society of Weed Science. Each year, the group selects one scientist who has earned the doctoral degree within the previous 10 years. As its name suggests, the award recognizes outstanding achievements in weed science early in the individual’s career, which includes innovative approaches that result in learning, the ability to clearly communicate ideas, excellence in research accomplishments, and more. Kumar, a native of northwestern India, began work at the Agricultural Research Center in 2017. His research includes several weed-related issues but focuses on herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth and kochia – aggressive weeds that steal water and nutrients in Kansas cropping systems. Click here to more about his research.

Resources available for producers on NSA website

As you plan for spring planting, there is helpful information on our website for producers. Click here to go to the growers section on our website; check out the Sunflower Production Resource Book for your area. The books provide guidelines and recommendations on production practices, pest identification, field selection and more.

Markets

Reduced 2019 production, tighter seed stocks and product demand have led to nearby NuSun and high oleic sunflower prices maintaining market highs at the North Dakota crush plants. This week nearby prices were unchanged. New crop oil sunflower prices are higher than a year ago at this same time with oil crushers still offering Act of God and cash contracts. Last year new crop prices were $16.75-$17.25 for NuSun with high oleic at $17.25-$18.00. This week new crop NuSun cash prices are in a range of $17.85-$18.25 up $1.00-$1.10 per cwt. with high oleic at $18.10-$19.40 which is 85 cents to $1.40 per cwt higher versus last year. Overall, sunflower prices have remained strong throughout this winter unlike the negative trend in wheat, corn and soybean values. On March 31, the USDA will release important reports that will have an impact on the markets. These include the planting intentions and the quarterly stocks estimates. The planting intentions report will be very important. Most market analysts are forecasting as much as a ten million acre increase in corn plantings and a five million acre increase in soybean plantings. Traders will use the USDA acreage estimates as the starting point for supply and demand estimates for the 2020/21 marketing year. Lastly, the spillover weakness from a broad range of other commodities is expected to continue affecting commodity trading as the coronavirus outbreak continues to roil all markets.