The USDA October Crop Production report offers important information for Oklahoma crop producers- as it provides an official review of the winter canola crop that was harvested back in June of this year. And, the 2015 harvest provided a major rebound for canola production in the state, after the drought devastated harvest of 2014.
USDA reports that 125,000 acres of canola was harvested this year, compared to 155,000 acres in 2014. The yield per acre jumped 241% in 2015 compared to 2014- as the yield per acre improved to 1,500 pounds per acre this season- from 620 pounds in 2014. Total Oklahoma canola production rebounded to 187.5 million pounds compared to 96.1 million pounds in 2014. The 2013 canola crop in Oklahoma totalled 208.6 million pounds.
The October Crop Production Report primarily focuses on spring planted crops- and for Oklahoma producers, it shows that 2015 has been a good year in producing cotton and milo. With the rains in the spring and early summer, Oklahoma cotton production is pegged at 285 thousand bales, same as was reported in September and six percent above production in 2014. USDA is predicting harvested acres will be down fifteen thousand acres- but yield of lint per acre is expected to jump from 615 pounds an acre to 702 pounds of lint per acre.
The grain sorghum crop nationally is predicted to be 32% bigger than in 2014- and that's based on 1.2 million more acres planted this year versus last. Oklahoma farmers participated in that plantings uptick for 2015- increasing milo acres from 310,000 to 400,000 this season. Yields in 2015 are predicted, based on this October report, to be almost the same as a year ago at 55 bushels per acre- and the total production of grain sorghum in the state rises twenty seven percent to 22 million bushels. Oklahoma is the fifth largest sorghum producing state in the US- Kansas is easily the largest producing state with an estimate of 258 million bushels in 2015, while Texas is second with 158 million bushels expected for their milo harvest.
Alfalfa production is also significantly better in 2015 compared to 2014 in the state of Oklahoma- with total output topping a million tons versus 841,000 tons a year ago. The increase came on much better production per acre- USDA calling the yield per acre in the state 3.9 tons versus 2.9 tons per acre in 2014- Oklahoma producers have been cutting alfalfa from thirty thousand fewer acres this year versus last- 260,000 harvested acres the total in 2015.
Pecan production is another area showing increase in the state- the 2015 pecan crop being called a 19 million pound crop this year versus 12 million pounds in 2014. With improved varieties producing four million pounds both years- the increase comes from better natives in 2015- with 15 million pounds expected this season vesus 8 million a year ago.
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