US spring wheat planting pace trails 5-year average; winter wheat conditions drop further

New Delhi — Spring wheat planting for the 2020-2021 crop across the six major wheat-producing states in the US reached 14% through April 26, 15 percentage points behind the five-year average pace seen between 2015 and 2019, the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service said.

The planting progress was also below average market expectations of 18%.

The slow planting pace in North Dakota continued to be a drag on the national planting numbers, with 5% planting completed in the state as of April 26, down from 18% during the same period last year, NASS said in a separate release Tuesday.

Some areas of the state were hit by a late season storm that brought winter-like precipitation in early April. North Dakota is the top producer of spring wheat in the US, accounting for 52% of the total crop production.

Winter wheat

Winter wheat crop conditions continued to slide in the latest week, with warm and dry weather conditions mounting concerns among farmers, according to analysts.

A total of 54% of winter wheat crop in the major states was in good to excellent conditions, compared with 57% in the previous week and 64% a year ago, according to the NASS data.

The estimates were below analyst expectations of 57% for the latest week.

"The warm and dry weather across the western Plains over the next 10 days will increase dryness and stress on the hard red winter wheat crop," weather company Maxar said in its latest note.

Winter wheat is 21% headed in key producing states, higher than the year ago pace of 14%, but lower from the five-year average of 25%. Heading occurs when the head of the wheat plant fully emerges from the stem.