Drought in the northern Plains, increasingly important in corn and soybean production despite the region’s prominence as a wheat-growing region, may foil expectations of near-record U.S. corn and soybean harvests, reports Successful Farming.
North Dakota and South Dakota are parched as the planting season begins, and if dry weather continues, it could darken the crop outlook.
On average, the two states grow 7.5% of the U.S. corn crop and 10% of U.S. soybeans, large enough shares for a poor crop to affect national totals. With normal weather and yields, this year’s U.S. corn and soybean crops would be the second-largest on record and barely able to keep pace with robust demand from exporters, processors, livestock feeders, and biofuel makers.
In related news, U.S. wheat futures rose on Tuesday, led by strength in K.C. hard red winter wheat contracts as dry conditions raised concerns about crop size in the U.S. Plains, Reuters reported.
Japan's Ministry of Agriculture sought 90,169 tonnes of food-quality wheat from the United States and Canada in a regular tender. South Korea's Major Feedmill Group purchased some 66,000 tonnes of animal feed wheat as well.