Record Sugarbeet Yield; Sugarcane Up From Last Year
Production of sugarbeets for the 2012 crop year is forecast at 35.6 million tons, up 23 percent from last year. Producers expect to harvest 1.22 million acres, up slightly from the previous forecast. Expected yield is forecast at 29.3 tons per acre, unchanged from the previous month but 5.5 tons higher than last year. If realized, this will be a record yield for the United States.
Most of the growing region experienced dry growing conditions during September. However, early planting, hot temperatures, and adequate irrigation boosted the crop's potential.
Sugarcane: Production of sugarcane for sugar and seed in 2012 is forecast at 31.3 million tons, up 1 percent from the September 1 forecast and up 6 percent from 2011. Producers intend to harvest 898,000 acres for sugar and seed during the 2012 crop year, up 5,000 acres from the previous forecast. Expected yield for sugar and seed is forecast at 34.8 tons per acre, up 0.1 ton from the September 1 forecast.
The sugarcane crop in Florida and Louisiana benefitted from adequate rainfall during September. In Louisiana, harvest was slowed due to some lodging of the crop caused by Hurricane Isaac.
