U.S. wheat plantings forecast up from 2011

According to the USDA's Wheat Outlook, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), in its March 31 Prospective Plantings, reported that all-wheat planted area for 2012 is forecast at 55.9 million acres, up 3 percent from the 2011 all-wheat planted area.

U.S. wheat ending stocks for 2011/12 are projected 32 million bushels lower. Projected feed and residual use is raised 35 million bushels reflecting higher-than-expected disappearance during the December-February quarter as indicated by the March 1 stocks. Projected seed use is lowered 3 million bushels based on state level seedings as reported in the March 30 Prospective Plantings report. Projected exports for all wheat are unchanged as a 15-million-bushel increase for soft red winter (SRW) wheat is offset by the same size reduction for hard red winter wheat. By-class shifts reflect the pace of sales and shipments to date and the increasing competitiveness of U.S. SRW wheat. The projected range for the 2011/12 season-average farm price is narrowed 5 cents on both ends to $7.20 to $7.40 per bushel.

With slightly lower global wheat supplies and higher feed and residual consumption, world wheat ending stocks for 2011/12 are projected 3.3 million tons lower than last month. Foreign wheat feed and residual use is expected higher by 5.9 million tons. World wheat trade is up 1.3 million tons this month to 143.1 million tons, breaking the historical record of 2008/09. U.S. 2011/12 July-June trade year wheat exports are forecast up 0.3 million tons this month to 26.8 million, based on recent sales to Egypt, EU, and Mexico.

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