Mississippi wheat acreage begins rebound as prices soar

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WJTV) – Leaders with the Mississippi State College (MSU) Extension Service stated climbing market costs for wheat are starting to earn growers’ consideration in Mississippi. The state’s wheat acreage is trending again up after a number of years of historic lows, and this yr’s crop high quality additionally exhibits promise.

The U.S. Division of Agriculture tasks the typical value in 2022 for wheat to be $10.75 per bushel, which is greater than double the 2020 value of $5.05. The typical value final yr was $7.70 per bushel.

Two separate, simultaneous parts are driving costs up: the Russian invasion of Ukraine; and a drought in one of many largest wheat-producing areas within the U.S.

The continued battle between Russia and Ukraine has had a big impact on international and U.S. markets. Mixed, these international locations contributed 30% of the worldwide wheat export market earlier than the invasion. The USDA tasks Ukraine will account for less than 5% of worldwide exports in 2022, which is half of its regular wheat cargo.

“This warfare has triggered a significant shift within the international wheat markets,” stated Will Maples, agricultural economist with the Mississippi State College Extension Service. “Ukraine is projected to see practically a 40% discount in output. The overall quantity of this manufacturing relies on how lengthy the battle continues.

In the meantime within the U.S., crop high quality west of the Mississippi River is compromised by a dearth of rainfall. Together with the Southern Plains and main manufacturing areas in western Kansas and Oklahoma, 49% of the nation’s wheat crop is planted in areas beneath an prolonged drought.

Almost half of the state’s wheat crop had been harvested by June 12, in keeping with a USDA-NASS crop progress report. Producers are estimated to have 75,000 acres of wheat this yr, which remains to be far lower than acreage planted earlier than 2016. Wheat fields as soon as lined about 200,000 acres in Mississippi.

Wheat is often planted between mid-October and mid-November. The crop had good climate to develop into maturity.

“We had comparatively dry circumstances throughout rising season, and any time it’s dry, it’s conducive to greater productiveness and yields in wheat,” stated Erick Larson, MSU Extension grain crop specialist. “It’s an anomaly to get as dry circumstances as we did final winter. We returned to regular rainfall in March and most of April earlier than it dried out once more. The tail finish of the wheat yr is extra essential when it comes to yield potential.”

Larson stated he expects a extra pronounced wheat planting rebound in 2022–23 if costs stay favorable.