The USDA forecast production of winter wheat at 1,543 million bushels, up 34 million bushels, or 2%, from its June forecast of 1.509 billion bushels, but down 102 million bushels, or 6%, from 1.645 billion bushels in 2012.
Production of spring wheat other than durum in 2013 was forecast at 513 million bushels, down 29 million bushels, or 5%, from 542 million bushels in 2012. Durum production in 2013 was forecast at 57.5 million bushels, down 24 million bushels, or 30%, from 82 million bushels in 2012. It was the USDA’s first survey-based estimates for other spring wheat, durum and all wheat for the current year.
The USDA all wheat number was above the average trade expectation of 2.057 million bushels, the winter wheat number was above the trade average of 1.507 billion bushels and the other spring wheat number also was above the trade average of 504 million bushels, but the USDA durum number was below the trade average of 61 million bushels.
The USDA forecast winter wheat yield at 47.8 bushels per acre based on conditions as of July 1, up 1.7 bushels from 46.1 bushels in June and up 0.6 bushels from 47.2 bushels in 2012. Harvested area was forecast at 32.3 million acres, unchanged from the June Acreage report but down 7% from a year ago.
“If realized, this will equal the United States (winter wheat) record high yield established in 1999,” the USDA said.
Production of hard red winter wheat was forecast at 793 million bushels, up 1% from the June forecast but down 21% from 1,004 million bushels in 2012. Soft red winter wheat production was forecast at 539 million bushels, up 6% from June and up 28% from 420 million bushels last year. White winter wheat was forecast at 211 million bushels, down 3% from June and down 10 million bushels, or 5%, from 222 million bushels in 2012. Soft white winter wheat production was forecast at 200 million bushels, down 4% from 208 million bushels in 2012. Hard white winter was forecast at 12 million bushels, down 10% from 13 million bushels in 2012.
The USDA forecast spring wheat other than durum yield at 42.9 bushels an acre, down 2.1 bushels from 45 bushels an acre in 2012. Harvested area was forecast at 12 million acres, unchanged from the June Acreage report but down 1% from 2012. Production of hard red spring wheat was forecast at 476 million bushels, down 6% from 2012.
Durum yield was forecast at 38.3 bushels an acre, down 0.7 bushels from 39 bushels an acre in 2012. Harvested area was forecast at 1.5 million acres, unchanged from the June Acreage report but down 29% from a year earlier.
All wheat yield was forecast at 46.2 bushels an acre, down 0.1 bushels from 46.3 bushels an acre in 2012. All wheat harvested area was forecast at 45.7 million acres, down 7% from 49 million acres in 2012.
Oats production in 2013 was forecast at 74.5 million bushels, up 16% from 64 million bushels in 2012 but still the third lowest outturn on record, the USDA said.
U.S. 2013 barley production was forecast at 219 million bushels, down slightly from 220 million bushels last year.
