A US Department of Agriculture crop progress report showed 88% of the intended US corn acreage for 2020-21 (September-August) had been planted through Sunday, compared with a five-year average of 82% for the period.
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Sign Up The amount of corn planted in the US so far this season is significantly higher a year ago, when some 55% of the planted area was sown at the same point, and climbed from last week's level of 80%.
In 2019, inclement weather conditions resulted in an unusually slow planting season for US corn. Weather conditions this year have been largely favorable, and corn planting in the US is off to a good start.
The report shows corn emergence in the surveyed states of 64%, compared with a five-year average of 58%. At the same point a year ago, emergence of corn was 28%.
The USDA surveyed 18 corn-producing states in the country, which accounted for 91% of the 2019-20 corn acreage, the report said. The planting of corn was higher than the five-year average in most of the major corn-producing states in the Midwest.
Iowa and Nebraska have already planted 97% of the intended acreage, compared with the states' five-year averages of 91% and 89%, respectively.
Planting of corn in Minnesota and North Carolina stood at 98% of the expected area, compared with five-year averages of 88% and 96%, respectively.
Farmers in Colorado, Missouri and Texas have planted over 90% of their intended acreage, according to the report.
CORN CONDITIONS LARGELY GOOD TO EXCELLENT
Corn conditions in most of the leading states were seen largely to be between fair and excellent. In the 18 surveyed states, 70% of the corn was reported to be in good to excellent conditions, while 25% of corn was seen in fair condition, according to the agency.
Only 4% of corn was reported to be in poor condition by the USDA. Ohio and North Dakota reported the highest shares of corn under poor conditions at 13% and 10%, respectively.
Inclement weather conditions in some parts of the US have damaged emerged corn crop, which may require replanting, experts told S&P Global Platts last week.
The damage, however, was not expected to be widespread.
According to weather agency Maxar, parts of the US received heavy rainfall during the weekend. Rains are expected this week in the eastern Plains, Midwest and the Mississippi Delta, the agency said.
"The rain will slow remaining corn planting across the Midwest and may also lead to some wetness, particularly in Missouri, northern Illinois and Michigan," Maxar said Monday.
The USDA estimates corn acreage in the US in 2020-21 will be 96.99 million acres, 4% higher year on year, and the highest since 2012. Production of corn in the US in the upcoming year is expected to reach a record high of 15.9 billion bushels.
