Oklahoma farmers have completed the hard red winter wheat harvest following a season marked by persistent drought conditions that dramatically reduced yields across the state, according to Oklahoma State University Extension specialists.
Amanda de Oliveira Silva, OSU Extension small grains specialist, reported significant yield variations depending on rainfall patterns, with many fields in southwest Oklahoma abandoned entirely.
"The state average is around 20 to 30 bushels, but a few areas that received timely rains received 65 bushels," Silva said. "The north-central area did well, but the Panhandle was just very drought stressed. Many farmers out there didn't see a rain since planting and basically went the entire season without rain."
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Oklahoma's wheat production was forecast at 64.8 million bushels, representing a 44% decrease from 2021. The average yield projection of 27 bushels per acre is down 12 bushels from last year.
Beyond drought, Silva noted other challenges affected this year's crop, including Fusarium root/crown rot and brown wheat mites, which are "usually not typical but occur in years that are really dry."
The market impact was substantial but primarily regional, according to Kim Anderson, OSU Extension grain marketing specialist. Early harvest prices reached around $11 per bushel but fell by $3 as the harvest progressed northward and Russia announced above-average export projections.
Despite higher production costs, Anderson indicated many producers could still achieve profitability with wheat prices above $8.75 per bushel, except in southwest Oklahoma where yields were extremely low or nonexistent.
Looking ahead to next season, Silva emphasized the importance of nitrogen management to improve water use efficiency, noting that producers face difficult decisions regarding input costs.
"It was a tough year, but our producers are resilient and did very well, considering the challenges," she said.
