2011 red meat production is up; wheat planting and harvest areas showing increases; milk production is higher; fruit forecasts are down
Proteins:
Total commercial red meat production in the United States for May was up 5% from a year earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest Livestock Slaughter report.
May beef production was up 2% from May 2010.
Pork production was up 9% from May 2010.
Veal production was up 2% from a year ago.
Wheat:
All wheat planted area was estimated up 5% from acres a year ago. Harvest area was estimated down 1% from acres a year ago. U.S.D.A. planting estimates for spring wheat were above the average trade expectation, but the durum number was below the trade average as was the all wheat number.
Durum seeded area was down 34% from acres in 2010, and the lowest since 1960. Durum area for harvest was estimated down 35% from acres in 2010.
Seeded area of spring wheat other than durum was estimated down 71,000 acres from 13,698,000 acres in 2010. Area intended for harvest was estimated down 1% from 2010.
Winter wheat planted area was estimated up 10%, from a year ago. Harvested area was estimated up 2% from 2010.
Dairy:
Milk production in the 23 major producing states totaled 16 billion lbs in May, up 1.5% from May 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest Milk Production report.
FRUIT FORECASTS ARE DOWN
Cherries:
In its annual Cherry Production report last week, the U.S.D.A. estimated sweet cherry production in California, the nation’s second largest producer behind Washington, at 85,000 tons, down 12% from 2010, although later reports suggested a much smaller crop due to heavy rains during harvest. Despite smaller crops also in New York, Oregon and Utah, the U.S.D.A. forecast total U.S. 2011 cherry production at 324,830 tons, up 4% from a year ago.
Peaches:
Peach production in the three key states of California, Georgia and South Carolina was forecast down 3% from 2010 as a result of cool, wet weather in California and dry conditions in South Carolina and Georgia.
Frozen Fruit:
Supplies of all types of frozen fruit on May 31, estimated at 763 million lbs, were down 15% from a year ago, the U.S.D.A. said in its Cold Storage report. Supplies of the top five frozen fruits, which make up about 60% of the total, showed strawberries down 8%, apples down 15%, blueberries down 17%, cherries (sweet and tart) down 48% and peaches down 23% from a year earlier.
Sources: FoodBusinessNews.net, the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report