The USDA-NASS, Pacific Regional Office released the crop production forecast for June. The latest survey, conducted during the last week of May 2016, and the first week of June 2016, included the commodities:
Wheat – The 2016 Winter wheat production forecast is 438 thousand tons, up 39.0 percent from last year. Harvested acres are estimated at 200 thousand, resulting in a yield of 2.19 tons per acre. The 2016 Durum wheat production forecast is 172 thousand tons, down 7 percent from 2015. Harvested acres are estimated at 55.0 thousand, with a yield of 3.12 tons per acre.
Dried Plum (Prunes) – California’s 2016 prune production forecast is 45.0 thousand dried tons, down 55 percent from the revised 100 thousand tons produced in 2015. Growers reported storms with cold, wet, and windy weather during the bloom and adverse conditions for bees during the height of the pollination period. If the forecast is realized, this year’s crop will be the smallest production on record since estimates began in 1920.
Sweet Potato – California’s 2015 sweet potato production is estimated at 6.29 million cwt., 20 percent higher than the 2014 production. Yields averaged 340 cwt. from 18.5 thousand acres harvested.
Sugar Beets – The 2016 sugar beet production forecast is 1.09 million tons, up 13.9 percent from last year. Harvested acres are estimated at 24.7 thousand, resulting in a yield of 44.2 tons per acre.
Hawaii Sugarcane – Hawaii’s 2015 sugarcane production for sugar and seed totaled 1.33 million tons, up 1 percent from 2014. The average yield from the 16.7 thousand acres harvested was 79.3 tons per acre.
Production forecasts are released on a monthly basis and do not reflect final production estimates. The next production forecast will be issued July 12, 2016.