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Nearby prices were down 25 cents to unchanged at the crush plants this week. On June 30, USDA released its first estimate of 2025 planted acres for all crops. Compared with last year, oil-type acreage increased in five of the eight major sunflower producing states. The state with the largest increase from last year is North Dakota, where the planted area increased 190,000 acres compared with last year. South Dakota also had a large increase compared with last year, with the planted area up 40,000 acres from the previous year. Compared with last year, growers in four of the eight major sunflower producing states had increases in planted acreage for non-oil varieties. The largest increase compared with last year occurred in South Dakota, where planted acreage increased by 6,000 acres. Initial estimates using trend yields peg oil-type sunflower production at 1.44 billion pounds up 51% from last year with non-oil sunflower production at 197 million pounds down 1% from 2024. Now that the USDA report is factored into the market, buyers will anxiously watch crop production prospects before making longer term purchases. In October, USDA will provide its first official estimate for oil and non-oil sunflower production. Sunflower trading will be influenced to a greater extent by crop conditions and progress along with weather conditions in the near term. Mid-August through September is the critical time frame for sunflowers.
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