A mixture of rain and sunshine over the US Corn Belt in the week ended 12 October likely helped rejuvenate some crops before farmers continued the corn and soybean harvest.
Moderate rain, with some small pockets of heavier precipitation, hit the Corn Belt early last week, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), offering some reprieve from drought conditions in key growing states like Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
The US Drought Monitor as of 7 October had upgraded drought severity in those states from the prior week. Despite rain at the start of last week and more forecast at the end of this week, there is limited space for corn and soybean conditions to improve, as most crops have matured beyond the stage where rain can benefit development and yields. Conditions had declined in four of the five weeks through 28 September before the US Department of Agriculture stopped releasing crop condition reports due to the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Missouri and Iowa picked up some more rain in the middle of last week, though there were still some completely dry days — and more coming — during which farmers could advance their harvests.
Winter wheat planting
Market participants have been generally positive about winter wheat planting progress, though some have said more rain would be beneficial.
The winter wheat crop reached 34pc planted as of 28 September, according to the most recent USDA data. In the two weeks since, the key growing area of Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas and eastern Colorado have received limited rain, with only Kansas getting substantive levels of precipitation. In north and central parts of western Kansas, planting has made significant progress in recent weeks, with earlier planted wheat fully emerged, market participants said.
In portions of Texas and Oklahoma, the pace of planting has slowed as producers await additional rain, according to market participants. The delays are not yet concerning, though, as planting would easily catch up in the weeks between now and the end of November should adequate rainfall occur, market participants said.
