American farmers plan to fee sunflowers and flax in 2024 but will plant more acres to other pulse and special crops.
A USDA prospective plantings report Thursday showed US producers intend to plant just 105,000 acres to flax this year, a 41% fall from the previous year and potentially the lowest since 1996. Meanwhile, American sunflower area is projected to tumble 27% to 957,500 acres, a 48-year low if realized.
On the other hand, lentil area is seen soaring 44% year-over-year to 762,000 acres, with planted area in the largest state of Montana climbing 46% to 570,000 acres. North Dakota lentil area is expected 51% higher at 140,000 acres.
At 974,000 acres, dry pea area is projected up 2% on the year, with a 4% increase in North Dakota to 280,000 acres helping to offset a 2% decline in Montana to 570,000.
National dry bean area, at 1.32 million acres, is estimated up 14% from the previous year, while chickpea acres are seen expanding 17% to 429,000.
For sunflowers, area intended for oil type varieties, at 804,000 acres, is estimated down 31% from 2023 and potentially the lowest since 1976. Non-oil varieties, at 153,500 acres, are down only slightly from last year but still the fifth lowest acreage on record, if realized
Sunflower planted area in North Dakota is expected to decrease 23% from last year to 440,000 acres, the third lowest area since 1974.
