MARKET FOCUS: US PLANTING INTENTIONS

摘要

The Prospective Plantings report published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the US Department of Agriculture on 31 March outlined growers' intentions based on a survey carried out in the early part of the month. The combined planted area of eight major field crops (wheat, maize, soyabeans, sorghum, barley, sunflowers, cotton and rice) was projected to decrease by only 0.5%, to 99.7m. ha. (100.2m.), having fallen by 2% in the previous year. Plantings of the main spring crops are currently underway and the final figures will depend on more recent market price comparisons, weather conditions and other factors, including decisions on crops not included in the survey and any additional land available for planting. For example, under the Conservation Reserve Program, which comprises 13m. ha. of land, contracts for 1.8m. ha. are expiring in 2010. While these will be mostly renewed, a small area of crop-ready land may be brought into cultivation.