USDA's last acreage report on March 31st called for a reduction in corn and wheat plantings and an increase in soybean acres. The estimates were friendly to the coarse grains, but pressured soybean prices. This week, private estimates went the other way. Memphis-based Informa Economics claims U.S. farmers planted more acres of corn and spring wheat, but fewer acres of soybeans. The private research and analysis firm based its estimates on producer surveys and planting progress through mid-May.
According to Informa, U.S. growers will plant 79.8 million acres of corn...that's 1.8 million above USDA's March guess, but 1.9 million acres less than last year.
Soybean producers are expected to plant 75.3 million acres, 1.6 million fewer than USDA's estimate, but 3.2 million above 2005.
Informa predicts spring wheat will be planted on 14.75 million acres, up 850 thousand acres from USDA projections and 713,000 acres more than last season.
Total wheat plantings are estimated at 58.2 million acres. That's about one million more acres than USDA predicted and 950,000 more than last year.
USDA will release its next acreage report on June 30th.