Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: May 14 2018

Updates to the NDSU Extension Pest Management App Available

Two new features will soon be available in the NDSU Extension Pest Management App. Efficacy tables for fungicides and insecticides have been compiled for problematic pests and will be incorporated into the app. These tables will help select an appropriate plant protection product after a pest has been identified. The other feature that has been added to the app is an image library. Both typical and atypical images of diseases, insects and weeds will be available in the image library to help pest diagnosis in the field. The app is available for both iOS and Droid based smart devices.

N Calculator Available for ND Producers

With fertilizer shortages and producers looking to control costs check out the North Dakota Nitrogen Calculator for sunflower. Click here for a link to the calculator. The calculator uses the new nitrogen recommendations, which have been updated for the first time since the 1970s. There are also new recommendations for phosphorus (P) for sunflower in the Northern Great Plains. The new N and P recommendations are based on general productivity history and not a yield prediction model. N and P recommendations are based on both documented yield responses to each and economic analysis. Click here to find the NDSU Fertilizing Sunflower Circular SF713 with the new recommendations on our website.

Exports of Sunflower Kernel Increase

Exports of sunflower kernel continue to increase. From October 2017 to March 2018, 4,740 metric tons (MT) of sunflower kernel was exported; that’s up from 4,588 MT from the same time period a year ago. Canada remains the top importer of sunflower kernel. Canada imported 2,200 MT during that time period—that’s almost half the total sunflower kernel exports. In-shell exports are down slightly. From October 2017 to March 2018, 22,036 MT of in-shell sunflower were exported. That’s down from 23,240 MT during the same time frame a year ago. Mexico and Spain are the top importers of in-shell sunflower—since October, Mexico has imported 6,880 MT of in-shell sunflower while Spain has imported 10,182 MT.

Sunflower Provides Assistance in Dealing with Salinity

If you are dealing with fields that have areas of high saline content planting sunflowers can help turn those areas around. Sunflower is a saline-tolerant crop, meaning if it’s planted in a field with a large seep, sunflower would do better than other crops and helps the soil structure due to its deep root system. Those deep roots help get the water out of the soil at a deeper level and removes saline areas in the field. Producers should check with their seed dealers and find out which varieties are the most salt tolerant and appropriate for their growing area. For more information, click here.

Have you registered for the 2018 NSA Summer Seminar yet? You’ll want to do so soon. This year’s Summer Seminar will be held June 26-28, 2018 at the Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, Minnesota. Click here to register on our website. You’ll find our tentative schedule there too, as well as hotel information and more. A block of rooms has been reserved there for June 25-28. There’s a link on our website, under “Hotel Information” to make your reservation. The room block will be released May 25, 2018 but may fill up much faster so don’t wait! The program is being finalized now and more information will be coming soon. Check the NSA website for further updates. Contact Tina Mittelsteadt with any questions.

Upcoming Events

June 26-28, 2018 – NSA Summer Seminar, Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria, MN
January 9-10, 2019 – NSA Research Forum, Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND

Markets

Old crop prices ended the week unchanged to up 5 cents. New crop prices were unchanged to up 15 cents this week. Last year at this same time new crop NuSun prices were in a range of $14.90-$16.65 with high oleics at $16.90-$17.00. Looking at current new crop prices this represents an increase of $2.05-$2.80 for NuSun prices and $1.75-$1.95 for high oleics versus last year. Talk in the oilseed market has been dominated by headlines regarding US/China trade tensions. Soybean prices have dropped on talk China may not buy US soybean for the remainder of this marketing year. Chinese buyers are canceling orders for US soybeans; at the same time, farmers in China are being encouraged to plant more soybeans. This is creating a dark cloud over the market and is dragging down soybean prices on the CBoT. Nearby CBoT soybean prices shed 40 cents a bushel last week over the uncertainty. This happened despite a neutral to bullish USDA supply and demand report last week. There's also a lot more attention on the strengthening US dollar. The value of the US dollar hit a near term low around mid-February and has been moving steadily higher since then. Many traders believe it could become more of a headwind if the strength continues in the months ahead. In addition to news from China, weather and planting progress will remain the biggest short-term question marks for traders and will guide the market in the week ahead.

Weekly Prices Recorded on Monday, May 14, 2018 ($/CWT)

	Deliver	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change	2018 NEW Crop
Chicago Oil	Nearby	33.02	30.67	31.12	+.45	31.95
Fargo, ND	NuSun	15.00	17.85	17.90	+.05	18.75
Fargo, ND	High Oleic	NQ	17.75	17.80	+.05	18.75
Enderlin, ND	NuSun	15.20	17.80	17.80	NC	18.70
Enderlin, ND	High Oleic	NQ	17.80	17.80	NC	18.90
Goodland, KS	NuSun	14.10	17.10	17.10	NC	17.70
Goodland, KS	High Oleic	15.75	18.10	18.10	NC	18.85

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, May 14, 2018
(dollars per 100 lb. internal U.S. location)

	Last Year	Last Week	This Week	Change
Soybean Oil	30.52	29.07	29.70	+.63
Cotton Oil (psby)	39.02	28.87	29.25	+.38
Corn Oil	41.50	34.00	34.00	NC