US producers made significant strides on the soybean harvest this past week, with progress in corn relatively slower.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the nationwide soybean harvest at 26% complete as of Sunday, up 13 points from a week earlier and beating the average expected pre-report trade guess of 24%. The soy harvest is also running 6 points ahead of last year and 8 points ahead of the five-year average.
Meanwhile, the national corn harvest advanced 7 points from a week earlier to reach 21% complete as of Sunday, behind the average trade guess of 23%. However, this year’s corn harvest remains on par with last year and is still 3 points ahead of average.
The Iowa bean harvest jumped 18 points on the week to 27% complete as of Sunday, 7 points better than last year and 6 points ahead of the state average, while Illinois was up 9 points to 24% done – far ahead of 15% last year and 11% on average. An estimated 23% of the crop was off in Indiana, versus 16% a week earlier and 14% for last year and the average.
The Michigan soybean harvest gained 15 points from the previous week to 24% done as of Sunday, a major 20 points ahead of last year and 13 points ahead of average. Ohio was right behind at 23% complete, up from 14% the previous week and well ahead of 6% last year and 10% on average. The North Dakota soybean crop was 23% in the bin, up 15 points on the week and 1 point ahead of the state average.
An estimated 81% of the US soybean crop was dropping leaves as of Sunday, up from 65% a week earlier and ahead of 73% on average but 1 point behind last year. The national bean crop was rated 64% good to excellent, unchanged on the week and 12 points higher than last year.
For corn, the Illinois and Indiana harvests were 21% and 20% complete as of Sunday, respectively, compared to 14% and 12% a week earlier and 16% and 13% on average. The Iowa crop was 11% harvested, up from 5% the previous week. That is 3 points behind last year, but still on par with the five-year average.
The Michigan and Ohio corn harvests each gained 6 points on the week to move to 9% and 16% done as of Sunday, ahead of 5% and 3% last year and 6% and 5% on average. The combines are just getting into the fields in North Dakota, where the statewide average was estimated at 1% complete as of Sunday, behind 7% last year and 5% on average.
The US corn crop was 75% mature as of Sunday, up from 61% a week earlier. That is 5 points ahead of the average but still 4 points behind last year.
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