Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Feb 05 2024

NDSU Sunflower Production Guide

The NDSU Extension Bulletin (A1995) has long been called the ‘sunflower bible’ since it was first published in 1975. The 178-page publication is full of four-color pictures of the major insects and diseases for ease in identification. The guide is directed primarily toward sunflower production in the Northern Great Plains of the United States; however, it is relevant to other production areas. The publication can be viewed on our website. Click here to view. NSA will provide one complimentary copy to sunflower growers. To obtain your complimentary copy email: info@sunflowernsa.com. Please include your name and complete mailing address. The Sunflower Production Guide is also available for sale from the NSA’s online catalog for $15 including shipping. Click here to order.

Chlorpyrifos Use Reinstated for Sunflowers

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has amended its regulations to reflect the current legal status of chlorpyrifos tolerances. Recently, a federal appeals court overturned EPA’s 2021 ban on all uses of the pesticide in food crops. Producers can now use currently registered chlorpyrifos products on all crops including sunflowers with reinstated tolerances, consistent with directions for use on those product labels. Chlorpyrifos is an important and valued tool for both small and large sunflower producers in all sunflower producing states.

Markets

We are in the price discovery process for 2024 crop insurance price elections. With only two days in the books, oil type sunflowers are at $23.50, and confections are $28.40 per cwt. These prices are lower than last year. Corn, soybean, and spring wheat prices are also presently lower than where they were last year at this same time. Currently, projected prices are not known, as February is just beginning. However, current futures levels provide reasonable indications of 2024 projected prices. To follow sunflower price election trends, watch the 2024 CBoT December soyoil contract through February 29. Final price elections will be announced in early March. In the sunflower market, nearby old crop prices followed the downward trend in oilseed complex prices and ended the week 40 cents to $1.00 lower at the crush plants. 2024 new crop prices for high oleics were down 25 cents to unchanged. On the CBoT, traders are squaring positions ahead of the next World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report from USDA. In the week ahead CBoT traders will be keeping tabs on South American weather conditions and the latest USDA yield and production forecasts. Some market analysts think the market is acting like another big crop is coming in South America, regardless of what forecasters predict. They believe that to see a significant 2024 price upside, the world would need to see weather related supply shortages develop this year.

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