Sunflower Highlights
Post Date: Jul 29 2019
Crop Progress
Colorado's sunflower crop is rated 80 percent good to excellent, while 79 percent of Minnesota's crop is rated good to excellent. Sunflowers are beginning to bloom across the growing states;  North Dakota reports 22 percent of the state's 'flowers are blooming.
Crop Progress - Monday, July 29, 2019
State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average
North Dakota        
Blooming 22 12 50 32
Texas        
Harvested NA 20 46 6
Crop Conditions - Monday, July 29, 2019
State Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
North Dakota 0 3 20 73 4
Colorado 0 0 20 76 4
Minnesota 0 1 20 70 9
Time to Scout for Banded Sunflower Moth and Arthuri Sunflower Moth
Trap counts for banded sunflower moth (BSM) indicate that BSM is increasing this past week in northwest, northeast, and southeast areas of North Dakota. Arthuri sunflower moth (ASM) is lower than BSM, but scouting is key right now for and should be conducted from the late bud stage (R3) through early flowering. If treatment is warranted, it should be delayed and applied at the R5.1 sunflower plant growth stage (when 10% of head area has disk flowers that are flowering). At R5.1, most BSM or ASM eggs have hatched and young larvae are feeding on the florets on the face of the sunflower head. Click here to read more about scouting for insects and the best treatments. Click here to see the insecticides registered in sunflower.  
 
Grower Report 
After a wetter than normal June, it’s been a hot and dry July for Lindsborg, KS grower Karl Esping. Esping say the last rain came on July 4. He says double crop sunflower planted after the wheat harvest are emerged and look good, thanks to good moisture in the soil. Esping says sunflower acres are up in central Kansas.
Markets
At the North Dakota crush plants sunflower prices continued their upward movement this week. Old crop NuSun prices ended the week up 5 to 20 cents with High Oleic adding 10 to 20 cents. New crop NuSun and High Oleic prices ended the week up 10 to 25 cents. In the past two weeks old crop NuSun has gained 15 to 35 cents with High Oleic adding 20 to 35 cents. New crop NuSun and High Oleic contracts are up 10 to 35 cents during the same period. In the High Plains, old crop NuSun and High Oleic sunflower prices have gained 5 cents with new crop increasing by 20 cents in the past week. Overall world export demand for U.S. oilseeds and products remains slow, with the strong dollar keeping the U.S. at a disadvantage. An exception to this has been U.S. sunflower oil exports which are up 35%, well ahead of a year ago. From October 2018-May 2019, 35,500 metric tons (MT) of sunflower oil has been exported. That compares to 26,350 MT during the same time frame a year ago. Canada and Mexico remain the top two importers and have an additional 19,000 MT on the books to be delivered this marketing year. Exports plus good domestic demand should keep prices firm at the crush plants in the near term. Weather conditions will come into focus more as we get into Mid-August through September, the critical time frame for sunflower.
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