Cool, wet weather slows corn planting - USDA

24 May 2010 22:14  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)— Dry weather that allowed the earliest corn planting on record in the US gave way to cool and wet conditions that hindered the planting of the remaining acres, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Monday.

Corn growers have planted 93% of their 2010 crop, well ahead of the 80% planted by this time in 2009, the USDA said.

Of the 71% of planted corn that has emerged, USDA said 60% was in good condition with 11% rated excellent, 24% rated fair, and 4% rated poor.

The cool temperatures in Cornbelt states slowed emergence in many fields and delayed some soybean planting.

As of 23 May, 53% of an intended 78.1m acres of soybeans had been planted in the 18 top-producing states, slightly behind the five-year average pace of 57%, USDA said.

The 78.1m acres of soybeans would be a US planted-acreage record that should ensure adequate supplies for domestic feed and food needs, export requirements, and vegetable oil for biodiesel production.

Should growers harvest a predicted 13.4bn bushels of corn this year, supplies will be adequate to meet domestic needs and growing export demand.

China is expected to import 3.5m tonnes (150m bushels) of corn in 2011 compared with an estimated 1.5 tonnes this year, market analysts said.

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By: Frank Zaworski
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