Summary:
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service recent crop production numbers point to increases in cotton, soybeans, peanuts and winter wheat.
Today’s Topic with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis
- I’ve been catching up on some reading and saw a couple of reports recently from the National Agricultural Statistics Service on planted and harvested acreage, which gives us a good snapshot of where crop production is this year compared to last year.
- Overall, we are expecting to see more increases in production compared to decreases, but both range from slight to significant (1 or 2 percent to 33 percent change from 2021).
- Production of wheat, cotton, peanuts and soybeans is expected to be up. Corn and flue-cured tobacco are estimated to be down due to decreased yield estimates.
- Winter wheat saw the biggest projected increase at 33 percent, due in part to more acres planted and increased yields over last year.
The winter wheat production forecast is 25.7 million bushels compared to 19.3 million bushels in 2021. - At this time, harvested acres are projected at 395,000 acres, up 50,000 acres compared to last year.
- The yield estimates for winter wheat is 65 bushels per acre, close to the record of 68 bushels per acre in 2011.
- Cotton, peanut and soybean production are all expected to be up 1 percent.
- While cotton yield is estimated to be down 146 pounds per acre, the increase in projected harvested acres is up and leads to the slight increase projected.
- Harvested acreage is expected to be 430,000 compared to 365,000 in 2021.
- Peanut production is also seeing an increased projected harvest of 119,000 acres compared to 114,000 acres in 2021.
- Yields are projected to be down to 4,200 pounds per acre compared to a record 4,350 pounds in 2021. This year’s yield is still expected to be above the 10-year average of just over 4,000 pounds per acre. (4,002)
- Soybeans also saw record production in 2021 with yields coming in at 40 bushels an acre. The yield estimate this year is 37 bushels an acre, but harvested acres are expected to be 1.79 million. That is up 150,000 acres from 2021.
- Where winter wheat production is projected to be up 33 percent this year, corn production is forecast to be down 33 percent, with both yields and harvested acreage estimated to be less than 2021.
- Yield estimates are projected at 108 bushels per acre, below the 10-year average of 126. Harvested acreage is expected to be 840,000 acres.
- And, finally the production forecast of flue-cured tobacco is estimated to be down 2 percent at 248 million pounds, down from 252 million in 2021.
- Harvested acreage is projected to be 124,000 acres.
- This has been a challenging year all around with input costs up and farmers experiencing hot, dry weather in some areas of the state. I pray for a strong finish for growers in production and prices.