The condition rating of the drought-plagued U.S. winter wheat crop moved higher this past week – the first improvement since the USDA began releasing its weekly crop progress reports in early April.
Meanwhile, American spring wheat planting picked up to near the average pace after a slow start.
The USDA pegged the nationwide winter wheat crop at 31% good to excellent in its crop progress report Monday. That’s up 1 point from a week earlier but still 20 points below this time last year.
In the largest production state of Kansas, the condition of the crop eased 1 point on the week to 22% good to excellent, while the crop in Oklahoma improved 2 points on the week to 16% good to excellent. The condition of the Texas crop improved as well, rising 4 points to 16%.
The condition of the Soft Red crops in Michigan and Ohio were unchanged compared to a week earlier, holding at 60% and 66% good to excellent, respectively.
Across the country, 49% of the winter wheat crop had reached the heading stage as of Sunday, up from 34% a week earlier and ahead of 37% last year and 32% on average.
The Kansas crop was already 70% headed, far ahead of 28% on average, while the Oklahoma crop was also 70% headed, versus 58% on average. The crop in Ohio was 1% headed, behind 6% last year and 3% on average.
The USDA report showed national spring wheat planting at 32% complete as of Sunday, up 13 points from the previous week. That’s still 10 points behind a year ago but closer to the five-year average of 35%.
In the No. 1 production state of North Dakota, the spring wheat crop was 19% planted as of Sunday, up from 7% the previous week but far behind 33% last year and 24% on average.
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