Weekly USDA wheat ratings decline in Kansas, Texas; improve in Oklahoma

CHICAGO: The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service in a weekly crop report on Monday rated 36% of the Kansas winter wheat crop in good to excellent condition, down from 37% a week earlier.

Kansas is the biggest US winter wheat producer. The USDA reported that topsoil moisture was short to very short in 47% of the state, up from 42% the previous week.

For Texas, the No. 2 winter wheat state by planted area, the USDA rated 27% of the crop as good to excellent, down from 28% the previous week.

The Texas corn crop was 10% planted, behind the state’s five-year average of 16%. For Oklahoma, the USDA rated 53% of the winter wheat crop in good to excellent condition, up from 46% a week earlier.

The USDA said 2% of Oklahoma’s wheat had reached the “jointing” stage of growth, behind the five-year average of 5%.

The USDA on Jan. 12 said US farmers planted 31.991 million acres of winter wheat for 2021 harvest, up 5% from a year earlier.