The condition of the US soybean crop eased this past week, while the corn rating remained unchanged.
Tuesday’s USDA crop progress report – delayed from Monday by the holiday weekend – pegged the nationwide soybean crop at 65% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 2 points from the previous week but still up from 53% last year. Meanwhile, the condition of the corn crop was steady at 65% good to excellent, 12 points above a year ago.
Going into today’s report, most traders and analysts were expecting the condition ratings for both crops to slip 1-2 points from a week earlier.
Condition ratings were mixed in Illinois, with the state corn crop down 2 points on the week to 71% good to excellent but soybeans up 4 points to 68%. The Indiana corn and soybean crops were both rated at 68% good to excellent, versus 71% the previous week, while the condition of the Iowa crops was steady for the third straight week at 77% each.
The Michigan corn crop improved 7 points from a week earlier to 67% good to excellent, while the soybean crop was up 1 point at 63%. On the other hand, overly dry conditions dropped the Ohio corn crop rating to just 42% good to excellent, down 7 points from a week earlier, while the state soybean crop rating fell 2 points to 46%.
At 67% good to excellent, the condition of the North Dakota corn crop was down 5 points on the week, with the soybean crop down an identical 5 points at 58%.
Across the country, 90% of the corn crop had reached the dough stage as of Sunday, on par with the five-year average, while 60% had reached the dent stage, 2 points ahead of average.
An estimated 19% of the US corn crop was mature as of Sunday, up from 11% a week earlier and ahead of 15% last year and 13% on average. Almost one-quarter (24%) of the Illinois crop was already mature, 13 points ahead of average, while Indiana and Iowa maturity was running 5 points and 1 point ahead of average at 12% and 10%. The Michigan crop was 2% mature, 1 point behind average, while Ohio was 11 points ahead at 14%.
For soybeans, 94% of the American crop was setting pods as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of the average. The crop was 13% dropping leaves, compared to 6% a week earlier, 13% last year and 10% on average.
The Illinois crop was 11 points ahead of the state average at 14% dropping leaves, while Indiana was 8 points ahead at 15%. Iowa was 2 points behind at 2%.
The Michigan and Ohio soybean crops were 10% and 19% dropping leaves, versus 8% and 4% on average.
