US corn planting picks up but still lags average

05 May 2008 23:23  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--The pace of planting the US corn crop picked up last week but was still a long way behind the five-year average for this time of the ammonia application season, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Monday.

USDA's weekly survey showed 27% of the crop was planted as of 4 May, up from 10% a week earlier but well behind the five-year average of 59%.

The survey covers 18 key states that planted 91% of the corn acreage in 2007.

Wet weather in much of the midwest over the last month has kept farmers from getting their corn acres planted.

That has backed up the ammonia supply chain and triggered speculation that the delay might encourage some farmers to switch to soybeans, even though corn prices have been holding at historically high levels in recent weeks.

A switch to soybeans would reduce ammonia demand and boost interest in urea.

Iowa and Illinois were among the states with the biggest lag. Iowa farmers had only 18% of their corn acres planted as of 4 May, against a five-year average of 64%, while in Illinois the planting was only 28% done against an average 76%.

After heavy rain over the weekend, the sun was shining in the midwest on Monday but more wet weather was forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS).

A weather front would stall over the region on Wednesday, setting up the potential for heavy rainfall of 1-3 inches (25-76mm) across southeast Iowa, northeast Missouri, and west central Illinois, it predicted.

For more on ammonia visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Stephen Burns
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