The planting of the new U.S. soybean crop again had a week of reasonable progress in most of the main producing states in the period between June 1st and 7th. The advance may have stayed below expectations, but the sowing rate remains above the normal average for this season. Machines are already advancing into the last areas to be sown in the states of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.
According to the USDA’s weekly report, until June 7 the planted area was 86% complete. In the previous week, the work covered 75% of the area. In the same period last year, the planting reached 54%. The average for the period is 79%.
Regarding crop conditions, USDA registered some improvement. The Department pointed out that 72% of crops are in good or excellent condition, 24% in fair, and only 4% in poor or very poor condition. In the previous week, the indexes were 70%, 26%, and 4%, respectively. The improved conditions indicate the initial outlook for the development of crops for the new season remains very positive.
As expected, the period between June 5 and 11 was marked by higher moisture in the range that covers the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Much of the state of South Dakota also experienced more moisture. Such fact may have prevented better work progress, although the states of the northern half of the growing belt are already in the final stretch of sowing.
Weather forecasts point to little or no moisture in most of the main growing states in the period between June 12 and 18, which will certainly be favorable for the completion of the work in some states and the advance to the final stretch in others.