Sunflower markets continue rally

The rally in sunflower prices continues at the crush plants with nearby prices adding another 10 to 55 cents with 2020 new crop adding another 15 to 20 cents. USDA released its latest estimate of the 2019 United States sunflower crop. Production totaled 1.94 billion pounds, down 8 percent from 2018. The U.S. average yield per acre of 1,562 pounds decreased 169 pounds from 2018. Planted area, at 1.35 million acres, was 4 percent above the previous year.

Area harvested increased 2 percent from 2018 to 1.24 million acres. U.S. production of oil-type sunflower varieties, at 1.75 billion pounds, decreased 7 percent from 2018. Production of non-oil sunflower varieties was estimated at 197 million pounds, a decrease of 10 percent from 2018. The production estimates for both oil-type and non-oil sunflower were above industry expectations given the difficult 2019 growing season. High moisture seed and cold weather hampered harvest progress in the largest production area of the Dakotas and Minnesota. Twenty percent of the crop is still in field at higher than normal moisture rates that may cause quality problems and yield reductions. The soggy weather conditions have led to quality problems with Sclerotinia and dark roast becoming major factors in confection seed quality. Based on the figures USDA released last week, the unharvested area and expected production were included in the totals published in the report, so take these figures with a grain of salt.