Arizona Durum wheat production is forecast at 8.63 million bushels, down 15 percent from the June 1 estimate and 8 percent below last year’s harvested crop of 9.41 million bushels, according to the July 1 crop estimate from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The USDA agency estimates 2017 Arizona Durum harvested acreage at 89,000 acres – that’s 7,000 acres less than the 96,000 acres harvested in 2016. NASS pegs 2017 Arizona average Durum yield at 97 bushels per acre, one bushel below last year’s yield.

As of July 1, Arizona Durum growers had harvested 84 percent of their Durum crop.

Looking at barley, NASS estimates 2017 Arizona production at 2.38 million bushels, 24 percent higher than the 2016 crop. Total barley state acreage harvested is forecast at 19,000 acres, up 4,000 acres from the 15,000 acres harvested last year.

The average 2017 Arizona barley yield is forecast at 125.0 bushels per acre, or 3.0 bushels per acre less than last year. As of July 2, Arizona barley growers had harvested 87 percent of their barley crop, compared with 73 percent last year.

U.S. Durum-barley numbers

U.S. Durum wheat production is forecast at 57.5 million bushels, down 45 percent from 2016 with average yields of 30.9 bushels per acre. U.S.-grown Durum this year covers 1.86 million acres, 21 percent below last year.

NASS estimates U.S. barley production at 143 million bushels, or 28 percent lower from 2016. As of July 1, the average U.S. barley yield was forecast at 73.5 bushels per acre, down 4.4 bushels from last year. Acreage harvested for grain or seed is about 1.95 million acres, down 24 percent from last year.

www.nass.usda.gov