Market News & Headlines >> Kansas, Oklahoma Wheat Ratings Slip

Weekly crop updates showed HRW wheat conditions deteriorated last week in the top producing states of Kansas and Oklahoma amid a general lack of precipitation. 

In the top winter wheat state of Kansas, only 41% of the crop was rated good/excellent as of Sunday, down from 46% a week earlier, while the portion rated poor/very poor held at 13%.

In Oklahoma, winter wheat conditions were rated 40% good/excellent, down from 42% a week earlier, with 16% of the crop rated poor/very poor, up from 15% previously. Jointing of winter wheat reached 19% by Sunday, up 16 points from the previous week and 6 points from the previous year.

The state office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service noted that drought conditions continued to be rated extreme to exceptional across the western half of the state, with conditions most severe in the Southwest district.

Texas winter wheat conditions improved slightly last week, however, and are much improved versus a year ago. Texas winter wheat was rated 51% good/excellent, up 1 point from a week earlier, while 11% of the crop was rated poor/very poor.  A year ago at this time, only 13% of the Texas crop was rated good/excellent, with 42% rated poor/very poor. Topsoil moisture is mostly short/very short across most of the state, however, so rains will be needed to maintain wheat conditions.

Colorado winter wheat conditions were rated 49% good/excellent, up from 48% in the previous report issued two weeks earlier.