USDA released its first production estimate for the 2020 sunflower crop and made some adjustments for the 2019 crop as well.
The first production forecast for 2020 is 2.81 billion pounds, up 44 percent from the revised 2019 production of 1.96 billion pounds, and is the highest since 2015. Area planted, at 1.70 million acres, is up 10 percent from the June estimate and up 26 percent from last year. Sunflower growers expect to harvest 1.62 million acres, up 10 percent from the June forecast and up 29 percent from 2019. Acreage updates were made in several States based on a thorough review of all available data.
The October yield forecast, at 1,730 pounds per acre, is 170 pounds higher than last year’s yield and will be just one pound less than the record high average yield for the Nation, if realized. As of October 1, higher yields are expected in 5 of the 8 published States compared with last year, with decreases only expected in California, Minnesota, and Texas.
The forecasted production in North Dakota, the leading sunflower-producing State this year, is 1.23 billion pounds, an increase of 64 percent from 2019. Compared with last year, the average yield forecast in North Dakota is up 245 pounds per acre from 2019 and will be the highest yield on record, if realized. In South Dakota, the average yield is forecast at 1,867 pounds per acre, up 173 pounds per acre from last year and will represent the second highest yield on record, if realized.
The next estimate will be released in January 2021.
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