The condition of the US winter wheat crop continued to go backward this past week but just slightly.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report pegged the nationwide winter wheat crop at 49% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 1 point from a week earlier and now 7 points below the April 1 condition rating. The decline was generally in line with trade expectations and much more modest compared to the previous week’s 5-point drop.
The condition of this year’s winter wheat crop also remains well above the 2023 crop, which was rated at just 28% good to excellent.
The crop in the top production state of Kansas was rated 31% good to excellent as of Sunday, down 5 points on the week and now 17 points below the April 1 rating. The Oklahoma crop fell another 3 points on the week to 46% good to excellent as of Sunday, down from 73% at the beginning of the month.
The winter wheat crops in both Kansas and Oklahoma have been battered by extreme weather that has included flash drought and high winds. This past weekend, meanwhile, brought torrential rain and tornadoes to some areas.
Almost one-third (31%) of the Kansas crop was rated in poor to very poor condition as of Sunday, up 5 points from a week earlier, while 14% of the Oklahoma crop was rated poor to very poor, an increase of 2 points on the week.
The Soft Red Winter wheat crop in Michigan was rated 67% good to excellent as of Sunday, down a single point from the previous week, while the condition of the Ohio crop was up a single point at 69%.
Across the country, 30% of the winter wheat crop had reached the heading stage as of Sunday, up from 17% a week earlier and ahead of last year and the five-year average at 23% and 21%, respectively. The Kansas crop was already 33% headed as of Sunday, up just 4% the previous week and far ahead of only 6% on average. The Oklahoma crop was 45% headed, versus 30% a week earlier and 41% on average.
