The percentage of U.S. winter wheat in good-to-excellent condition dropped last week.

In its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday, USDA NASS estimated that 57% of the nation’s winter wheat was rated in good-to-excellent condition, down 5 percentage points from 62% the previous week. Forty-six percent of the winter wheat crop in top winter wheat-producer Kansas was rated good to excellent, down 4 percentage points from 50% the previous week.

Row-crop planting ended the week slightly ahead of last year’s pace.

In its first soybean-planting report of the season, USDA NASS estimated 2% of the crop was planted as of Sunday, April 19, slightly ahead of 1% at the same time last year and also for the five-year average.

Corn planting moved ahead 4 percentage points last week to reach 7% complete as of Sunday, ahead of 5% last year at this time, but behind 9% for the five-year average. Texas was 64% planted, Illinois was 8% planted and Iowa was at 2%, noted DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman.

Spring wheat planting, on the other hand, was running well behind the average pace. Seven percent of spring wheat was planted of Sunday, ahead of 4% last year but well behind the five-year average of 18%. None has been planted yet in North Dakota or Minnesota, Hultman noted.

Sorghum was 19% planted, slightly ahead of 17% last year but equal to the five-year average. Oats were 39% planted, compared to 34% last year and a 47% average. Oats emergence was at 18%, compared to 17% last year and a 22% average. Barley was 16% planted, ahead of 14% last year, but behind the five-year average of 24%.

Cotton planting was 11% complete, compared to 8% last year and a 9% average. Rice was 30% planted, equal to last year but behind the average of 43%. Rice emerged was 18%, slightly ahead of the average of 22%.

To view weekly crop progress reports issued by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/…. Look for the U.S. map in the “Find Data and Reports by” section and choose the state you wish to view in the drop-down menu. Then look for that state’s “Crop Progress & Condition” report.

National Crop Progress Summary
This Last Last 5-Year
Week Week Year Avg.
Corn Planted 7 3 5 9
Soybeans Planted 2 NA 1 1
Winter Wheat Headed 14 6 8 15
Spring Wheat Planted 7 5 4 18
Cotton Planted 11 9 8 9
Sorghum Planted 19 18 17 19
Barley Planted 16 12 14 24
Barley Emerged 3 NA 1 4
Oats Planted 39 32 34 47
Oats Emerged 26 24 27 30
Rice Planted 30 21 30 43
Rice Emerged 18 15 17 22

**

National Crop Condition Summary
(VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent)
This Week Last Week Last Year
VP P F G E VP P F G E VP P F G E
Winter Wheat 4 9 30 50 7 3 7 28 53 9 2 6 30 48 14

 

Anthony Greder can be reached at anthony.greder@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @AGrederDTN

Source: Anthony Greder, DTN