Soybean Output Down 8%

WASHINGTON - Jan 12/12 - SNS -- Soybean production in 2011 totaled 3.06 billion bushels, up slightly from the November 1 forecast but down 8% from 2010, according to the USDA's final production estimate for 2011 crops.

United States production is the sixth largest on record. The average yield per acre is estimated at 41.5 bushels, 0.2 bushel above the November 1 forecast but 2.0 bushels below last year's yield. Harvested area is down 4% from 2010 to 73.6 million acres. Planted area for the Nation, at 75.0 million acres, is down 3% from last year.

Drought conditions across much of Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas hampered soybean development this year, especially in Oklahoma and Texas where yields declined 12 and 11 bushels from last year, respectively. The average yield in Oklahoma, at 13 bushels per acre, is the lowest since 1980, and the yield in Texas, at 19 bushels per acre, is the tied for the lowest since 1955. In contrast, growing conditions were improved from a year ago across the Mid-Atlantic States, with the average yield in Virginia tying the previous record high set in 2004.

The 2011 soybean objective yield survey data indicate that final average pod counts were lower than last year in all of the eleven objective yield States with the exception of Nebraska. Compared with last year, pod counts were down more than 10% in Arkansas and Indiana.

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