The USDA has downgraded most of its 2024 pulse and special crop production estimates, including peas and lentils.
In its annual production summary released Friday, the USDA pegged this year’s American pea crop at 756,550 tonnes, down from its earlier estimate of 874,440 and now 7% below a year earlier. The lentil crop was reported at 410,460 tonnes, down from 432,640 previously but still nearly 59% above the 2023 crop of 258,410.
The 2024 US sunflower production estimate saw a sharp reduction, falling to 519,640 tonnes from the previous estimate of 591,740. Compared to a year earlier, American sunflower production was down a major 49%, mainly due to an identical sized reduction in harvested area to 569,200 acres. However, the average sunflower yield was down as well, dropping 117 lbs/acre from 2023 to 1,670 lbs.
US production of oil-type sunflower varieties, at 429,552 tonnes, decreased 52% from 2023 and was the lowest since 1976. Compared with the previous year, oil-type sunflower harvested acres were down 49% and the average yield decreased by 85 lbs to 1,664 lbs/acre. Production of non-oil sunflower varieties was estimated at 90,265 tonnes, down 33% on the year. Area harvested, at 116,900 acres, fell 17% from 2023, while the average yield decreased by 391 lbs from 2023.
American chickpea output for 2024 was lowered to 255,460 tonnes from the earlier estimate of 278,140, although that remains up nearly 21% on the year.
On the other hand, the USDA did increase its 2023 edible bean production estimate. The crop is now seen at 1.419 million tonnes, compared to 1.335 million previously and 1.083 million in 2023.
The USDA’s first production estimate for flax pegged the 2024 crop at 61,470 tonnes, down 18% from 2023. Harvested area totaled 140,000 acres in 2024, a drop of 13% on the year, while the average yield, at 17.3 bu/acre, was 1.2 bu lower compared to 2023.
The 2024 US mustard crop was reported at 46,270 tonnes, down nearly one-third from the 2023 crop of 67,120.
