US crops continue to mature with corn now 94% silking, soybeans 91% blooming

HOUSTON (ICIS)–US crops are moving closer to full maturity with corn acreage now at 94% silking while soybeans have reached 91% blooming, according to the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) weekly crop progress report.

For corn, the pace of acreage reaching the silking phase is just behind the 95% rate from 2023 but is equal to the five-year average of 94%.

The amount of crop now at the dough stage is 60%, which matches the 60% level from last year and is above the five-year average of 56%.

Corn which has reached the dented phase is at 18%, which is ahead of both the 15% achieved in 2023 and the five-year average of 12%.

Corn conditions remain unchanged with there being 3% rated very poor, 7% poor, 23% fair, 51% good and 16% as excellent.

For soybeans, there is now 91% of the crop blooming. This does trail the 2023 level of 93% but is slightly ahead of the five-year average of 90%.

The amount of acreage setting pods is at 72%, which is behind the 75% from last year, but is above the five-year average of 70%.

For soybean conditions, there continues to be 2% listed as very poor, 6% as poor and 24% rated as fair. There is now 55% seen as good with 13% as excellent.

In harvesting updates, winter wheat is now at 93% completed with this current pace ahead of the 91% rate from 2023 as well as the five-year average of 91%.

Spring wheat harvest has reached 18% completed, which does trail both the 20% level from last year and the five-year average of 21%.