High Plains Sunflower Harvest 'A Different Story'

By CnAgri2012-10-31 19:30:53 Print

Even though a bumper crop is being delivered in parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota, the High Plains region is an entirely different story when it comes to this year's sunflower crop.

Yields are ranging from 200-1,200 lbs. on dryland and anywhere from 1,800-3,500 lbs. on irrigated.

The projected average yield in Kansas will likely range from 900-1000 lbs/ac. Colorado is likely to be even lower.

Meanwhile, the Canadian harvest has continued to progress with approximately 70% acres harvested. Recent rains have slowed harvest however. Quality continues to be superior compared to historic quality with heavy seed weights being reported. Statistics Canada estimates Canada's 2012 sunflower production at 35 thousand mt, compared to 20 thousand mt for last year.