Sunflower markets

2021 new crop sunflower prices are out at the ADM Enderlin crush plant with cash contracts available. NuSun is at $17.75 with high oleic at $18.00. Something else to consider is the oil premiums that crush plants pay on sunflower. Sunflower is the only oilseed that pays premiums for oil content above 40%. Considering oil premiums that are offered at the crush plants on oil content above 40% at a rate of 2% price premium for each 1% of oil above 40%; this pushes a contract with 45% oil content gross return 10% higher per hundredweight. The $17.75 contract increases to $19.50 and the cash $18.00 contract moves up to $19.80. Nearby prices at the crush plants are unchanged. The sunflower crop continues to mature at a rapid rate. The weather forecast is predicting drier than normal moisture conditions in the sunflower growing region. This bodes well for crop dry down and an earlier than normal start to harvest. Harvest has started in North Dakota and could be just days away in some South Dakota locations. Harvest continues to move along in Texas and is ahead of the five-year average. Trading will focus on the USDA Grain Stocks report that will be released soon. Traders are expecting sunflower stocks to be down significantly from a year ago.