WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) on June 12 forecast winter wheat production in 2013 at 1,509,142,000 bushels, up 2% from the May projection but down 136,060,000 bushels, or 8%, from 1,645,202,000 bushels in 2012. The forecast was well above the average of pre-report trade estimates at about 1.457 billion bushels with an unexpectedly large forecast for hard red winter wheat production standing out.

The USDA forecast hard red winter wheat production in 2013 at 781 million bushels, up 2% from the May outlook and compared with 1.004 billion bushels in 2012 and 780 million bushels in 2011. The forecast was well above trade expectations that averaged around 743 million bushels.

Production in the key hard red winter wheat state of Kansas was forecast at 307,800,000 bushels, up 3% from the May projection but down 19% from 382,200,000 bushels in 2012. The USDA raised its production forecast for Texas to 60,000,000 bushels from 54,000,000 bushels. 

Soft red winter wheat production was forecast at 509 million bushels, up 2% from the May outlook and compared with 420 million bushels in 2012. The forecast compared with the average of trade expectations at around 506 million bushels.

The USDA forecast white winter wheat production at 219 million bushels, up 1% from May and compared with 229 million bushels in 2012.

The USDA forecast all-winter wheat harvested area in 2013 at 32,709,000, unchanged from the May projection but down 6% from 34,834,000 acres in 2012. The USDA forecast the average winter wheat yield at 46.1 bushels per acre, up from 45.4 bushels per acre as the May projection but down from 47.2 bushels per acre in 2012.