US corn planting well ahead of 2009 levels - USDA

19 April 2010 21:49  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--US corn growers had planted 19% of their 2010 crop, well ahead of the 5% planted by this time in 2009, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Monday.

Dry weather in the US midwest has enabled farmers to get a jump on a planting season expected to see 88.1m acres planted to corn.

Because of the amenable weather and good field conditions, growers were applying ammonia fertilizer to their fields at a frenzied pace, creating spot shortages in some areas, sources said.

In Illinois, 34% of intended corn acres had been planted as of 18 April, compared with only 1% on that date a year ago, USDA said.

Farmers were expected to turn their attention to planting a likely-record soybean crop once corn acres are finished, according to sources.

In other crops, 11% of US cotton has been planted, along with 23% of sorghum, 33% of sugarbeets, 63% of oats, and 47% of rice, the USDA said.

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By: Frank Zaworski
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