WASHINGTON – The condition of the winter wheat crop in the 18 major states deteriorated by two percentage points in the latest week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its Nov. 18 Crop Progress report.
The U.S.D.A. pegged 63% of the wheat crop in good to excellent condition and 7% in very poor to poor condition as of Nov. 17, compared to 65% good to excellent and 5% very poor to poor the previous week. In Kansas, the top-producing hard red winter wheat state, a total of 65% of the crop was rated good to excellent and 3% very poor to poor.
The U.S.D.A. reported that 89% of the winter wheat planted in the 18 major states was emerged as of Nov. 17, ahead of the 85% five-year average.
The soybean harvest was nearing completion. The U.S.D.A. said 95% of the crop was combined as of Nov. 17, a percentage point behind the 96% five-year average for the date.
The corn harvest was 91% complete in the 18 major states, up from the five-year average of 86%, the U.S.D.A. said.
Harvests of sorghum and peanuts were nearing the finish line, the U.S.D.A. said. A total of 91% of the sorghum crop was harvested in the 11 major states as of Nov. 17, up from the 86% five-year average. The peanut harvest essentially was completed with 97% harvested, ahead of the five-year average for the date of 92%.