USDA winter wheat ratings hit 4-year low; corn 57% planted, soy 49% done

By Julie Ingwersen

CHICAGO, May 11 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday rated 28% of the nation’s winter wheat crop as good to excellent condition; It was a 3 percentage point decrease from the previous week, the lowest level for this time of year since 2022.

• Good-excellent grades of winter wheat upset trade expectations with a 1 point improvement. Analysts polled by Reuters on average expected the USDA to rate 32% of the crop as “good-excellent,” while estimates ranged from 30% to 34% as good-excellent.

• In Kansas, the top U.S. winter wheat producer, the USDA rated 17% of the state’s crop as good to excellent as of Sunday; down from 22% the previous week. Weekly wheat grades also fell in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

• Drought affected much of the Plains, the main winter wheat region of the United States. The government said last week that about 70% of the U.S. winter wheat crop is in a drought-stricken region; this rate was 22% a year ago.

• Farmers continued to plant spring crops. The USDA said planting for corn was 57% complete by Sunday, 55% above the average analyst estimate and 52% above the five-year average pace.

• Soybean planting is 49% complete, USDA reported; This was above the average trade forecast of 48% and the five-year average of 36%.

• USDA says spring wheat planting is 53% complete; This was above the average analyst estimate of 50% and the five-year average of 51%.

All figures in percentage:

Category Analyst Analyst USDA USDA

The average interval lasts this long

week by week

Maize planted (percent) 55 48-60 38 57

Soybeans planted (percent) 48 44-52 33 49

Spring sown wheat (percent) 50 45-58 32 53

Winter wheat conditions* 32 30-34 31 28

*Percent good/excellent

(Reporting by Julie Ingwersen; Editing by Paul Simao)