US corn planting accelerates, 51% done - USDA

12 May 2008 22:23  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--US corn planting has picked up speed after a slow start due to wet weather in April, and was 51% completed as of 11 May, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Monday.

That compares with only 27% done in the previous week and with the five-year average of 77% for this time of year, the SDA said in a weekly status report based on 18 key states that planted 91% of the 2007 corn acres.

The slow start to the corn planting has backed up the ammonia supply chain and raised questions over whether some farmers would switch to soybeans, leaving less demand for ammonia refills over the summer months.

That speculation has also influenced the ethanol market, which has been responding to the strength of corn prices amid ideas that the expected corn acreage might drop.

For more on ammonia and ethanol visit ICIS chemical intelligence

Bookmark Simon Robinson’s Big Biofuels Blog for some independent thinking on biofuels

By: Stephen Burns
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