USDA: US 2021-22 corn-crop condition steady on week

US corn crop conditions remained largely steady on the week with 65% of the 2021-22 (September-August) crop reported to be in “good-to-excellent” condition for the week ending July 18, the Department of Agriculture said in its crop progress report July 19.

According to the report, 26% of the planted corn was seen in a fair condition, down one percentage point on the week. Corn in poor-to-very poor condition rose one percentage point to 9%.

The USDA has surveyed 18 corn-producing states in the country, which accounted for 92% of the 2020-21 corn acreage, the report said.

Corn silking was reported to be at 56% of the surveyed crop, ahead of the five-year average for the period at 52%. Until last week, corn silking in the US was trailing behind the five-year average.

Corn crop in the dough stage was reported to be at 8%, almost similar to the five-year average of 7%.

Recent rains in parts of the US have mitigated damage concerns that prevailed owing to persistent dryness in the country and have favored corn growth.

Though rainfall is likely to continue in the corn belt in the upcoming week, some part of the country may see increasing dryness, weather agency Maxar said in a report July 19.

“Rainfall this week will be limited across the corn belt, allowing dryness to increase again in South Dakota, eastern Nebraska, southern Minnesota, and Iowa,” Maxar said.

Hot weather will become more widespread in the northern Plains later this week, adding heat stress to crops in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska, it added.

Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and the Dakotas contribute a major portion of the US total corn output.

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