Sunflower Highlights

Post Date: May 01 2023

Canada sunflower acres projected to decrease

According to Statistics Canada data, Canadian farmers intend to plant 90,000 acres of sunflowers this spring, which would be down 4.6 percent from 2022. The 2023 intentions are in line with the five-year average area seeded of 88,925 acres. The majority of Canada’s sunflower crop is grown in Manitoba. Statistics Canada will update acreage estimates this summer after planting has been completed.

N Calculator available for North Dakota producers

With fertilizer prices at the highest levels in the past seven years and producers looking to control costs, check out the North Dakota Nitrogen Calculator for sunflower. You can find the calculator at www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/soils/sunflower/. The calculator uses new nitrogen recommendations, which were 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. The calculator does not immediately support sunflower prices above 30 cents per pound or N prices greater than $1/lb N. However, if you divide each value (sunflower price AND N cost) by 2, and insert these values into the calculator, the proper N recommendation will result. The NDSU Fertilizing Sunflower Circular SF713 with the new recommendations can be found online at www.sunflowernsa.com/uploads/3/Fertilizing.Sunflower.NDSU.SF713_Feb.2016.pdf

Reminder about stored seed

Producers who have stored seed are reminded to keep a close eye on seed moisture. It is a good idea to have bins probed and tested regularly to protect your investment.

Markets

Wheat, corn, and soybeans posted new lows last week amid softening demand, improving weather, and easing supply outlooks. Old and new crop sunflower prices at the crush plants were down 50 cents to unchanged after holding steady for the past three weeks. USDA reports are showing a slowing of U.S. export shipping pace and volumes for the big three crops. International demand has softened slightly as well in comparison to last year at this time. It also looks like there will be more competition in the global oilseed arena this year as Statistics Canada announced that Canadian farmers are looking to plant more canola acres than last year. Despite the slow start to plating in the Northern Plains states, overall U.S. planting is off to a faster-than-anticipated start in many states. For the most part weather looks favorable to keep planters rolling over the next two weeks. Traders are also tuned into events involving the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). Russia again issued threats to leave the BSGI, which has helped keep Ukrainian grain shipments flowing out of the Black Sea since last August. Russia wants the West to remove banking sanctions in exchange for maintaining the BSGI to free up its revenues from fertilizer and grain shipments. With South American oilseed harvest wrapping up, the attention of the oilseed market will shift to North American demand news, weather, crop conditions and production prospects in the months ahead.

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