Corn planting surged even further ahead of the five-year average last week according to a report released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With 30 percent of total corn acres planted by April 24, progress surpassed the five-year average for this point by 14 percentage points, ten percentage points further ahead of the average than this time one week ago.
Progress surpassed the five-year average by 50 percentage points in Missouri, with Iowa and Minnesota both more than 30 percentage points planted over the five-year average as well. Only Texas lagged behind the five-year average by more than five points.
The USDA also released its first forecast of the percentage of corn emerged this week. While planting ran far ahead of the five-year average, the percentage of the corn crop emerged surpassed the five-year average by only one percentage point. Again, Missouri saw progress the furthest ahead of the average, with 24 percent of corn acres emerged. The state normally sees only ten percent emergence by this point.
Oklahoma is one of the states that is lumped into the "other states" in the US corn stats. However, the Oklahoma Crop Weather Update reports that corn planting is lagging in the state versus a year ago and the five year average. Currently, the Oklahoma corn crop is now 29% planted, versus 45% planted by this date in 2015 and 53% for the five year average.
Grain sorghum is now ten percent planted in Oklahoma, under the 19% planted at this point last year- but ahead of the five year average of just 7%.
The southern plains wheat crop improved in condition versus a week ago, with the Texas wheat crop now at 48% good to excellent, up three percentage points from a week ago, the Kansas crop rated at 53% in good to excellent shap- up four percentage points from last week and the Oklahoma wheat crop stands at 59% good to excellent- which is three percentage points better than last week.
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