WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — U.S. 2011 winter wheat production was forecast at 1.492 billion bushels, up 3% from the June forecast of 1.45 billion bushels, and up 6.5 million bushels from 1.485 billion bushels in 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its July Crop Production report on July 12.

The USDA forecast production of spring wheat other than durum at 551 million bushels, down 11% from 616 million bushels in 2010. Durum production in 2011 was forecast at 64 million bushels, down 41% from 107 million bushels in 2010. It was the USDA’s first other spring wheat and durum estimates of the year.


U.S. all-wheat production was forecast at 2.106 billion bushels, down 5% from 2.208 billion bushels in 2010.

The USDA all-wheat number was above the average trade expectation of 2.069 billion bushels, the other spring wheat number was above the trade average of 548 million bushels, and the winter number was above the trade average of 1.454 billion bushels, but the durum number was below the trade average that was near 68 million bushels.

The USDA forecast winter wheat yield at 46.2 bushels per acre based on conditions as of July 1, up 0.9 bushels from 45.3 bushels in June but down 0.6 bushels from 46.8 bushels in 2010.

Harvested area was forecast at 32.3 million acres, unchanged from the June Acreage report but up 2% from a year ago.

Production of hard red winter wheat was forecast at 791 million bushels, up 2% from 777 million bushels forecast in June but down 22% from 1.018 billion bushels in 2010. Soft red winter wheat production was forecast at 458 million bushels, up 6% from 434 million bushels in June and up 92% from 238 million bushels last year. White winter wheat was forecast at 243 million bushels, up 1% from 240 million bushels forecast in June and up 6% from 229 million bushels in 2010. Soft white winter wheat production was forecast at 231 million bushels, up 1% from 228 million bushels in June and up 7% from 216 million bushels last year. Hard white winter was forecast at 11.6 million bushels, unchanged from June and down 14% from 13.5 million bushels harvested in 2010.

The USDA forecast spring wheat other than durum yield at 41.7 bushels an acre, down 4.4 bushels from 46.1 bushels an acre in 2010. Harvested area was forecast at 13.2 million acres, unchanged from the June Acreage report but down 1% from 2010.

Production of hard red spring wheat was forecast at 504 million bushels, down 12% from a year earlier.

Durum yield was forecast at 38.7 bushels an acre, down 3.7 bushels from 42.4 bushels an acre in 2010. Harvested area was forecast at 1.65 million acres, unchanged from the June Acreage report but down 35% from a year earlier.

All wheat yield was forecast at 44.6 bushels an acre, down 1.8 bushels from 46.4 bushels an acre in 2010. All-wheat harvested area was forecast at 47.2 million acres, down 1% from 47.6 million acres in 2010.

Oats production in 2011 was forecast at 56.6 million bushels, down 30% from 81.1 million bushels in 2010 and the lowest on record, the USDA said.