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U.S. Spring Wheat Harvest Underway
28.07.2010 12:38 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
Harvest of the U. S. Hard Red Spring wheat crop has officially begun, confirms a summary report released Tuesday by the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Progress varies across the major producing states. In South Dakota, roughly 6% of the crop was harvested by Sunday. That was ahead of last year, but well behind the five-year average for that date of 17% done. In Minnesota, combines were just starting to nose into the first fields, with harvest estimated at 1% complete.
The U. S. crop is now 94 percent headed out, said the report. The crop is furthest behind in Montana, at around 79% headed out compared to an average of 95 percent.
Mother Nature isn’t doing wheat growers in the region any favours. Temperatures last week were below average, with scattered rain showers and some reports of hail and damaging winds. Some parts of the Dakotas could do with more rain, although the majority of the soil moisture levels were rated still rated at least «adequate» as of Sunday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. durum crop is in excellent condition as harvest approaches, noted the ND Wheat Commission report. In the king state of North Dakota, 90% of durum was rated good/excellent as of Sunday. That compared to a lower but still respectable 73% of Montana durum placed in the top two categories.
Cool temperatures kept durum development behind normal. In North Dakota, 85% was headed out vs. 88% on average. Just 3% of North Dakota durum was «ripe», estimated around two weeks behind the average of 27%. In Montana 72% was headed out, 20 percentage points behind the average.
Reports from the various state agricultural agencies report disease pressure is generally minimal for durum and spring wheat. However, there’s still time for a problem prior to harvest, especially in light of the lateness of this year’s crops.
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