Friday June 28 USDA Acreage, Stocks, Hogs & Pigs + Ag News - Afternoon Update

USDA:  Corn Planted Acreage Up Slightly from 2012
Soybean Acreage Up 1 Percent
All Wheat Acreage Up 1 Percent
All Cotton Acreage Down 17 Percent

Corn planted area for all purposes in 2013 is estimated at 97.4 million acres, up slightly from last year. This represents the highest planted acreage in the United States since 1936 when an estimated 102 million acres were planted. Growers expect to harvest 89.1 million acres for grain, up 2 percent from last year.

Soybean planted area for 2013 is estimated at a record high 77.7 million acres, up 1 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 76.9 million acres, is up 1 percent from 2012 and will be a record high, if realized. Record high planted acreage is estimated in New York, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota.

All wheat planted area for 2013 is estimated at 56.5 million acres, up 1 percent from 2012. The 2013 winter wheat planted area, at 42.7 million acres, is 3 percent above last year and up 2 percent from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 29.4 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 9.96 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.38 million acres are White Winter. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2013 is estimated at 12.3 million acres, up slightly from 2012. Of this total, about 11.7 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. The estimated Durum wheat planted area for 2013 is estimated at 1.54 million acres, down 28 percent from the previous year.

All cotton planted area for 2013 is estimated at 10.3 million acres, 17 percent below last year. Upland area is estimated at 10.0 million acres, down 17 percent from 2012. American Pima area is estimated at 226,000 acres, down 5 percent from 2012.



2013 NEBRASKA ACREAGE 

Nebraska corn growers planted 10.2 million acres, up 2 percent from last year and the largest total since 1933, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Biotechnology varieties were used on 93 percent of the area planted, up 2 percent from 2012. Growers expect to harvest 9.8 million acres for grain.
 
Soybean planted area is estimated at 4.8 million acres, down 5 percent from last year’s total of 5.05 million acres. Of the acres planted, 96 percent were planted with genetically modified, herbicide resistant seed.
 
Winter wheat seeded in the fall of 2012 totaled 1.45 million acres, up from last year’s total of 1.38 million acres. Harvested acreage is forecasted at 1.16 million acres, down 140,000 acres from the previous year.

Alfalfa hay acreage to be cut for dry hay is 700,000 acres, down from the 2012 acreage of 770,000 acres. Other hay acreage to be cut for dry hay is 1.9 million acres, up from 1.8 million acres in 2012.
  
Sorghum acreage planted and to be planted, at 180,000 acres, is up 24 percent from a year ago. The area to be harvested for grain, at 80,000 acres, is up 20,000 acres from last year.

Oats planted acres increased to 150,000 acres, up from the previous year’s total of 75,000 acres. Area to be harvested for grain, at 40,000 acres, is up from 18,000 acres last year.
 
Dry edible bean planted acres decreased to 130,000 acres, down from 145,000 acres planted in 2012. Harvested acres are estimated at 120,000 acres, down 13,000 from the previous year.

Proso millet plantings of 120,000 acres are up from 70,000 acres a year ago. 

Sugarbeet planted acres, at 46,000, are down from previous year’s average of 51,000 acres.   

Oil sunflower acres planted decreased to 28,000 acres, down from 33,000 acres last year. Non-oil sunflower planted acreage is estimated at 15,000 acres, up from 8,500 acres last year.


 
Iowa  Acreage  Report  June 28, 2013

Corn  planted  area  for  all  purposes  is  estimated  at 14.0 million  acres,  down  200,000  acres  from  2012  and 200,000  acres  below  the March  intentions  according  to the  USDA  National  Agricultural  Statistics  Service  – Acreage  report.  Corn  to  be  harvested  for  grain  is forecasted  at  13.5  million  acres.  Soybean  acreage planted  is  estimated  at  9.50  million  acres,  up 150,000 acres  from  2012,  and  100,000  acres  above  the March  intentions.  Soybean  acreage  to  be  harvested  is forecasted  at  9.43  million  acres.    An  estimated 1.11 million  acres  will  be  harvested  for  hay,  with 700,000 acres of alfalfa, and 410,000 acres of other hay.  Acreage  seeded  to  oats  is  estimated  at  130,000  acres, unchanged  from  2012. Oat  acreage  to  be  harvested  for grain  is  forecasted  at  50,000  acres.  Acreage  seeded  to winter  wheat  last  fall  is  estimated  at  36,000  acres. Winter  wheat  acreage  to  be  harvested  for  grain  is forecasted at 26,000 acres. The acreage estimates in this report are based on data collected from May 30 through June 18. 

Producers  also  reported  the  percent  of  genetically modified  (GM)  seed  varieties  used  to  plant  the  2013 corn  and  soybean  acres.  The  percent  of  corn  acreage planted  to  insect  resistant  (Bt)  varieties  is  estimated  at 5 percent, herbicide resistant only varieties were planted on  14  percent  of  the  acres,  and  stacked  gene  varieties were  planted  on  72  percent  of  the  acres.  Overall, 91 percent of  the corn acreage was planted to GM seed. Ninety-three  percent  of  Iowa’s  soybean  acreage  was planted with herbicide resistant GM seed.



USDA Grain Stocks - June 28, 2013
Corn Stocks Down 12 Percent from June 2012
Soybean Stocks Down 35 Percent
All Wheat Stocks Down 3 Percent

Corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 2.76 billion bushels, down 12 percent from June 1, 2012. Of the total stocks, 1.26 billion bushels are stored on farms, down 15 percent from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 1.50 billion bushels, are down 10 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2013 indicated disappearance is 2.64 billion bushels, compared with 2.88 billion bushels during the same period last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 435 million bushels, down 35 percent from June 1, 2012. On-farm stocks totaled 171 million bushels, down 4 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 263 million bushels, are down 46 percent from a year ago. Indicated disappearance for the March - May 2013 quarter totaled 564 million bushels, down 20 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Old crop all wheat stored in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 718 million bushels, down 3 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks are estimated at 120 million bushels, up 7 percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 598 million bushels, are down 5 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2013 indicated disappearance is 516 million bushels, up 13 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Old crop Durum wheat stocks in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 23.5 million bushels, down 8 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at 13.6 million bushels, are down 11 percent from June 1, 2012. Off-farm stocks totaled 9.86 million bushels, down 4 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2013 indicated disappearance of 19.0 million bushels is up 84 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Old crop barley stocks in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 80.3 million bushels, up 34 percent from June 1, 2012. On-farm stocks are estimated at 15.8 million bushels, 64 percent above a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 64.5 million bushels, are 28 percent above June 1, 2012. The March - May 2013 indicated disappearance is 36.8 million bushels, 9 percent above the same period a year earlier.

Old crop oats stored in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 36.3 million bushels, 34 percent below the stocks on June 1, 2012. Of the total stocks on hand, 11.4 million bushels are stored on farms, 2 percent higher than a year ago. Off-farm stocks totaled 25.0 million bushels, 43 percent below the previous year. Indicated disappearance during March - May 2013 totaled 16.3 million bushels, compared with 19.8 million bushels during the same period a year ago.

Grain sorghum stored in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 39.1 million bushels, down 33 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at 2.71 million bushels, are down 34 percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 36.4 million bushels, are down 33 percent from June 1, 2012. The March - May 2013 indicated disappearance from all positions is 52.4 million bushels, up 6 percent from the same period last year.



NEBRASKA JUNE 1, 2013 GRAIN STOCKS

Nebraska corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 300 million bushels, down 15 percent from 2012 and the smallest total since 1996, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Of the total, 130 million bushels are stored on farms, down 24 percent from a year ago.  Off-farm stocks, at 170 million bushels, are down  8 percent from last year. 

Soybeans stored in all positions totaled 29.0 million bushels, down 55 percent from last year and the lowest since 1990.  On-farm stocks of 7.4 million bushels are down 26 percent from a year ago and off-farm stocks, at 21.6 million bushels, are down 60 percent from 2012. 

Wheat stored in all positions totaled 20.9 million bushels, up 1 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks of 1.20 million bushels are up 71 percent from 2012 while off-farm stocks of 19.7 million bushels are down 1 percent from last year. 

Sorghum stored in all positions totaled 1.75 million bushels, down 59 percent from 2012 and the lowest since 1956. On-farm stocks of 100 thousand bushels are down 67 percent from a year ago and the lowest on record. Off-farm holdings, at 1.6 million bushels, are 58 percent below last year. 


 
Iowa June 1, 2013Grain Stocks Report

Iowa corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 565 million  bushels,  18  percent  below  a  year  ago.    Of  the  total  stocks,  50  percent  were  stored  on-farm.    The March  - May 2013  indicated  disappearance  totaled  466  million  bushels, 22 percent  less  than  the  599 million  bushels  used  during  the same period last year.

Iowa  soybeans  stored  in  all  positions  June  1,  2013  totaled 103 million  bushels,  29  percent  less  than  the  147  million bushels on hand June 1, 2012.   Of the total stocks, 39 percent were stored on-farm.  Indicated disappearance for the March - May  2013  period  was  96.5 million  bushels,  35  percent  less than the 148 million bushels used during the same quarter last year.

Iowa oat stocks stored in all positions on June 1, 2013 totaled 4.34 million  bushels,  down  36  percent  from  the  6.81 million bushels on hand June 1, 2012.   Of the total stocks, 17 percent were stored on-farm.



NEBRASKA HOG INVENTORY DOWN 2 PERCENT

Nebraska inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2013, was 3.10 million head, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  This was down 2 percent from June 1, 2012, but up 3 percent from March 1, 2013.  

Breeding hog inventory, at 400,000 head, was up 4 percent from June 1, 2012, and up 3 percent from last quarter.  Market hog inventory, at 2.70 million head, was down 2 percent from last year, but up 3 percent from last quarter.  

The March-May 2013 Nebraska pig crop, at 1.83 million head, was down 4 percent from 2012.  Sows farrowing during the period totaled 170,000 head, down 6 percent from last year.  The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 10.75 for the March-May period, compared to 10.55 last year.

Nebraska hog producers intend to farrow 175,000 sows during the June-August 2013 quarter, up 3 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago.  Intended farrowings for September-November 2013 are 175,000 sows, up 3 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period the previous year.  



United States Hog Inventory Down Slightly

United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2013 was 66.6 million head. This was down slightly from June 1, 2012, but up 2 percent from March 1, 2013.

Breeding inventory, at 5.88 million head, was up slightly from last year, and up 1 percent from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 60.8 million head, was down slightly from last year, but up 2 percent from last quarter.

The March-May 2013 pig crop, at 30.1 million head, was up slightly from 2012. Sows farrowed during this period totaled 2.92 million head, down 2 percent from 2012. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 50 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high 10.31 for the March-May period, compared to 10.09 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.70 for operations with 1-99 hogs and pigs to 10.40 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs.

United States hog producers intend to have 2.93 million sows farrow during the June-August 2013 quarter, down slightly from the actual farrowings during the same period in 2012, and down slightly from 2011. Intended farrowings for September-November 2013, at 2.92 million sows, are up 1 percent from 2012, but down slightly from 2011.

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 46 percent of the total United States hog inventory, down from 47 percent last year.



Groups Study Dairy Industry in Dodge County, Nebraska

(AP) -- A strategic plan being studied by local stakeholders has the potential, if all goes right, to enhance the Dodge County, Neb., agricultural industry and make Nebraska a destination within the national dairy industry.

The Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce and its Agricultural Business and Natural Resources Council has been studying the potential opportunities and benefits of a revitalized and expanded dairy industry in Nebraska.

The Fremont Tribune reports the chamber developed the Dodge County Livestock and Dairy Development Plan, and is in the process of meeting with and providing education to farmers, civic groups and other stakeholders.

Ron Tillery, executive director of the Chamber, said the strategic plan is a planning document that allows his organization to proceed with any potential opportunity in an orderly and systematic way.

"We're interested in exploring ways to add value to the natural and currently existing ag enterprises in Dodge County," Tillery said. "Not every area within Nebraska is well positioned to participate in modern dairy practices. But there are certain regions in Nebraska that are virtually perfectly positioned to do that, and we think Fremont may be one of those areas."

Tillery said the Chamber has worked with the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN), a nonprofit focused on opportunity and growth of Nebraska agriculture. In working with the group, Tillery said, Nebraska, the eastern side in particular, is operating with a milk deficit. Within a 100-mile radius of Fremont there are seven dairy manufacturing operations running on a milk deficit ranging from the equivalent of 30,000 to 50,000 cows.

"The danger is that if they can't get sufficient milk supplies, the plants might close and they'll move somewhere else," Tillery said. "That is not a hypothetical scenario for us. In fact a cheese processing facility that used to be in Dodge closed several years ago for the same reason."

Tillery said A-FAN has prioritized dairy development and is organizing the I-29 Corridor Initiative, which refers to the dairy operations in eastern Nebraska and northwest Iowa and seeks to increase dairy production within a reasonable transportation radius around the seven dairy facilities.

Nebraska has had declining or flat dairy production for decades, Tillery said. The ag business has been focused on beef cattle, pork and crop production rather than dairy. He said often dairy was a sideline to the family farm that might have 50 or 100 cows.

"At that level, dairy is a backbreaker," he said. "You could never leave the farm. It was just a very difficult way to make a living."

Modern dairy operations are larger - often 2,000 to 4,000 cows - more concentrated and are operated more efficiently. They also present a strong economic opportunity for rural areas.

"These larger scale dairies could offer an economic development opportunity to rural areas of counties like Dodge County," said Tillery. "It essentially is an eye opener, because it not only produces the direct impacts to the operation, which are significant, it also offers opportunities for feed suppliers in the surrounding area to reduce their transportation costs and to have a new market that's nearby. The manure management is very sophisticated and is also a valued commodity to surrounding farmers.

"A dairy like we're envisioning could invest as much as $30 million in hard assets, land and animals. That tax base is substantial, that is a new tax

base," he said. "This kind of development could be the first step in the ladder up to see additional manufacturing plants and that sort of thing."

But Tillery was careful to say the Chamber isn't going to jump head first into any initiative without thorough study and discussion with stakeholders.

"We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We think this has a lot of appeal. We think it's a good fit, but we've got to know absolutely that it's a good fit and we're not going to do a top down kind of process here," he said. "We want to build consensus and work with key stakeholders throughout this process to push this project along. And at any point we see that it's just not right, then it's not right.

"We haven't made the assumption that it's right for us just because it's doing well and is right for somebody else," Tillery added. "We wanted to make sure that we looked at it from the standpoint of Dodge County; the topography, the geology and the regions that we have available in Dodge County that might overlay this kind of opportunity.

"Certainly our proximity to the end markets for the milk are very advantageous. We're very well positioned for that, better virtually than anybody else in the state."

Few Nebraska farmers have pursued large-scale dairy operations, while neighboring states have been more aggressive in pursuing dairy development and recruitment. Tillery said one of the bigger opportunities is to capture or recruit expanding or relocating dairies coming out of the West Coast.

He said a lot of dairies in California are relocating for a variety of reasons, and part of the strategic plan is to make those dairies aware that Nebraska is "open for business," said Tillery.

Kathy Rhea, chairman of the chamber's Agricultural Business and Natural Resources Council, agreed the opportunity could provide an economic boost to Dodge County, but re-emphasized the fact that the council is focusing first on education and evaluation.

"We are continually educating ourselves and evaluating potential economic development opportunities in agriculture and ag-related business because we feel that agriculture is extremely important to the area," she said. "We want anything we do in the line of economic development to be a good fit for the area."



Cattlewomen Host Nebraska Beef Ambassador Contest

The Nebraska Cattlewomen hosted the 2013 Nebraska Beef Ambassador Contest on June 18th, 2013 during the Nebraska Cattlemen Midyear Meeting in Valentine, NE.  The Nebraska Beef Ambassador Program provides an opportunity for youth to become spokespersons and future leaders for the beef industry. Each division consisted of different events which were evaluated by a panel of judges. The intermediate and senior competition consisted of a mock consumer promotion event, a media interview and an issues response task. Junior contestants delivered a short factual presentation on the importance of the beef industry.  Winners of the contest included:

Junior Division:
    1st - Henry Beel, Johnstown, NE
    2nd - Landri Loos, Litchfield, NE
    3rd - Lindsi Loos, Litchfield, NE

Intermediate Division
    1st - Libbi Loos, Litchfield, NE

Senior Division
    1st - CaLee Thomsen, Wolbach, NE

Winners of the intermediate and senior divisions are eligible to participate in the National Beef Ambassador Contest.



Wheat Harvest Approaches Nebraska Border 
(from KBOT, KGFA, KWC, & KAWG) 

Combines are running from Norton to Marshall counties along the Nebraska border, as the 2013 harvest gets into the second big week of harvesting.

Ag Valley Co-op in Norton has seen scattered activity in the last few days, with just a few thousand bushels of wheat taken in. The crop so far has 55-56 pound test weights, but it is too early for yield and protein information. Many fields still have green cast to them, but harvest should get into full swing by early next week.

Travis Mason, manager of the Southeast Nebraska Co-op location in Herkimer, says farmers are bringing in wheat in northern Marshall County. Test weights are 60 pounds or higher, and yields are in excess of 60 bushels per acre. No protein values have been received yet.

Highway 14 seems to be a dividing line for good yields and quality, according to Jeff Bechard, president of AgMark, LLC in Beloit. The company markets grain for 20 elevators from Cawker City east to Leonardville, and Westfall north to Jewell. Wednesday was the first day that the entire area had good harvest conditions. Yields range mostly from 35 to 65 bushels per acre, with the better wheat in the eastern side of Hwy. 14; protein ranges from 9 to 11 east of Hwy. 14 and 11 to 14 west of Hwy. 14. About 25% of the crop is harvested in AgMark’s trade area, and Bechard expects this crop to be above average in terms of total bushels received.

Duane Reif, manager at the United Ag Service location in Hoisington, says the area harvest is about 50% complete. Test weights at the Hoisington location range from 56 to 62 pounds per bushel, protein from 13 to 16 and yields range from 20 to 50 bushels per acre. At the company’s Stickney location just 10 miles north, test weights average above 60 pounds per bushel and yields range from 40 to 60 bushels per acre.

Doug Johnson, manager of the Scott Cooperative location in Marienthal, says harvest just got started on Monday. At 60 pounds per bushel on average, test weight is a bit better than he expected, but yields are poor, ranging from 15 to 20 bushels per acre. In isolated cases where showers fell last fall, some farmers report 30 bushel per acre yields. However, much of the area’s crop has been destroyed. Johnson says early protein tests show 11.7 protein, but will probably improve as harvest continues. This location will take in about 35% of an average crop.



Rabobank Predicts Lower Global Dairy Prices

Global dairy prices will deflate slightly due to issues with supply, demand and pricing, according to the latest Rabobank dairy report published Thursday.

Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory team reports that international dairy prices peaked at record levels in April, but fell in mid-June, falling between 10% and 12%. Still, prices remain exceptionally high by historic standards, driven by significant decreases in milk production in export and import regions.

This dip in production and weak demand should cause prices to gradually move downwards in the next two quarters as supplies increase.

A global dairy strategist for Rabobank, Tim Hunt, commented on the supply-driven price increases.

"Seldom has a rally in international markets appeared so supply-side driven as this," Hunt said. "A loss of momentum in milk production growth was expected following an unattractive milk-to-feed cost ratio in late 2012, but this has been exacerbated by atrocious weather in key growing areas in the first half of 2013. In the Northern Hemisphere, a cold and wet winter was followed by a late arriving spring, while Oceania saw a summer drought."

With the exception of a slight increase in Brazil, dwindling supplies caused decreases in milk production in the Big Seven global exporting countries (the EU, U.S., New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay) to fall 2.5% in March and 4.1% in April.

The world's two largest import areas have experienced decreased supplies as well. Production in Russia has been hampered by bad weather and poor margins and China's production is also lackluster. This sent importers in these areas scrounging for available supplies, squeezing other importers out of the market by causing prices to soar to record levels.

Global prices typically decrease as buyers cover short-term needs, stocks decrease and supply improves, but with such low global stocks, the market will likely pause until a supply response improves prices.

Rabobank predicts that harvest will bring a sizeable decrease in commodity feed prices, which should improve margins in most regions by Q4 2013. In the second half of 2013, only a small increase in demand is likely in the EU and U.S., so global prices will be largely swayed by how milk producers respond to improved margins and the interest of importers in increased supplies.



Feds OK Horse Slaughter Plant in NM

(AP) -- Federal officials have granted a southeastern New Mexico company's request to open a horse slaughterhouse, adding Friday that they plan to grant similar permits to operations in Iowa and Missouri.

With the action, Valley Meat Co. of Roswell is set to become the first operation in the nation licensed to process horses into meat since Congress effectively banned the practice seven years ago.

The company has been fighting for approval from the Department of Agriculture for more than a year with a request that ignited an emotional debate over whether horses are livestock or domestic companions.

The decision comes more than six months after Valley Meat Co. sued the USDA, accusing it of intentionally delaying the process because the Obama administration opposes horse slaughter.

Valley Meat Co. wants to ship horse meat to countries where people cook with it or feed it to animals.

Although the USDA granted the company's certification, it was unclear when it would actually be able to begin slaughtering horses. Valley Meat Co. attorney Blair Dunn says the USDA has to send inspectors to the plant before it can begin operation.

The plant would become the first horse slaughterhouse to operate in the country since Congress banned the practice by eliminating funding for inspections at the plants. Congress reinstated the funding in 2011, but the USDA has resisted approving Valley Meat Co.'s application, prompting the lawsuit.

The USDA also is lobbying for an outright ban on horse slaughter, and the Obama administration's budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year eliminates funding for inspections of horse slaughterhouses, which would effectively reinstate a ban on the industry. Both the House and Senate agriculture committees have endorsed proposals that would cut the funding. But it is unclear when an if an agriculture appropriations bill will pass this year.

"Since Congress has not yet acted to ban horse slaughter inspection, (the agriculture department) is legally required to issue a grant of inspection today to Valley Meats in Roswell, N.M., for equine slaughter," said USDA spokeswoman Courtney Rowe.

"The administration has requested Congress to reinstate the ban on horse slaughter. Until Congress acts, the Department must continue to comply with current law."

The issue has divided horse rescue and animal welfare groups, ranchers, politicians and Indian tribes about what is the most humane way to deal with the country's horse overpopulation and what rescue groups have said are a rising number of neglected and starving horses as the West deals with persistent drought.

Proponents of a return to domestic horse slaughter point to a 2011 report from the federal Government Accountability Office that shows horse abuse and abandonment have been increasing since slaughter was banned in 2006. They say it is better to slaughter the animals in humane, federally regulated facilities than have them abandoned to starve across the drought-stricken West or shipped to inhumane facilities in Mexico.

The number of U.S. horses sent to other countries for slaughter has nearly tripled since 2006, the report says. And many humane groups agree that some of the worst abuse occurs in the slaughter pipeline. Many are pushing for a both a ban on domestic slaughter as well as a ban on shipping horses to Mexico and Canada.



Ukraine's 2013-14 Wheat Exports Seen 37% Higher 

Ukraine's wheat exports are expected to hit 9.2 million metric tons during the 2013-14 crop year, 37% higher than last season's output, prominent Ukrainian agricultural forecaster APK Inform told The Wall Street Journal Friday in its first official estimate for the current season.

The group also forecasts the country's wheat production will hit 20.5 million tons during the 2013-14 crop year--that compares with 15.7 million tons a year earlier, said Svetlana Synkovska, marketing director at APK Inform.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the country's wheat exports at 8 million tons for this season, 1 million tons higher than last year.

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization said Egyptian wheat imports are likely to remain slow until August, when harvests in Egypt's main trading partners of Russia and Ukraine are completed, with the country also in talks to secure shipments from Kazakhstan and India. Egypt is the world's largest buyer of wheat.

Egypt is seeking to cut its wheat imports by around 10% in 2013, to 8 million tons, the FAO said, while reports indicate the government has allocated $1.6 billion to boost domestic wheat procurement to 4.5 million tons.

European Union 2013-14 wheat exports are forecast at 18.5 million tons, the USDA said, revising down its prior forecast by 1.5 million tons after warning earlier that an increase in the availability of Black Sea origins, especially Ukraine's harvest, could compete for market share if it is of good quality.