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Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: Jul 22 2024

Crop Progress - Monday, July 22, 2024 State This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Year Average North Dakota         Blooming 5 2 9 10 South Dakota         Blooming 1 -- -- -- Texas         Harvested 22 12 23 21

Crop Conditions - Monday, July 22, 2024 State Timeframe Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent North Dakota This week 0 2 31 65 2   Last week 1 2 25 70 2 Minnesota This week 0 1 24 56 19   Last week 0 1 24 64 11 Colorado This week 1 30 39 28 2   Last week 0 20 46 31 3 South Dakota This week 1 3 34 51 11   Last week 1 2 28 58 11

Scout for insects

Grasshoppers continue to be the most detected insect pest in field crops this year. The higher grasshopper nymph counts were in Emmons and Benson Counties in North Dakota. The first detections of banded sunflower moth and/or Arthuri sunflower moth were made last week at Cass, Stark and Divide Counties in North Dakota. Numbers were low, except for 86 banded sunflower moths at Cass County. Sunflower head moth also was detected for the first time only at the Cass County trap site. Sunflower crop stages were V4 to V10, so sunflower fields are not susceptible until flowering. Moths will go to wild sunflowers that are already blooming in the field ditches and natural areas, and feed on pollen. Red sunflower seed weevils will start to emerge in North Dakota and South Dakota in early planted sunflower fields. Start scouting as soon as sunflowers are in the R4 (bud open ray flower visible) to R5.1 (early flower - florets around the outer perimeter of the sunflower head). IPM maps of insect pests and diseases are posted on: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/ndipm

Markets

Old crop sunflower prices were up 20 to 60 cents with new crop prices unchanged at the crush plants this week. Traders are beginning to pay more attention to the Black Sea region as an extended period of above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation is a growing concern to sunflower production in the region. Oil World recently lowered its production estimates for Russia and Ukraine and notes that there is risk for more significant damage if much needed moisture is not received soon. The situation bears watching as Russia and Ukraine are the largest exporters of sunflower oil. The potential reduced availability of sunflower seed and oil production poses risks for global markets and prices will be responsive to potential production shortfalls. Last week USDA issued its initial outlook for 2024 sunflower production and usage for the 2024/25 marketing year. Oil-type sunflower planted acreage is expected to be lower in 2024. Given the lower acreage, the forecast sunflower seed crush was lowered by 59 million pounds to 855 million pounds on lower 2024 production. The other use category (nonoil use and residual) was lowered to 1.2 billion pounds, the lowest since MY 2019/20. Ending stocks are forecast to decline to 228 million pounds, a 47 percent decrease from MY 2023/24. In October, USDA will provide an updated estimate for oil and confection sunflower production.

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