USA: Barley stocks drop 30%

Barley stocks in all positions on March 1, 2007 totaled 117 million bushels, down 30% from March 1, 2006, according to the USDA's March 1 stocks in all positions estimates, STAT Communications & Ag Report reported March 30.

On-farm stocks are estimated at 38.3 million bushels, 44% below a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 78.9 million bushels, are 20% below March 2006.

The December 2006 - February 2007 indicated disappearance totaled 55.7 million bushels, 35% above the same period a year earlier.

Farmers in the United States plan to boost barley seedings 7% over last year to just 3.7 million acres, according to the USDA.

If realized, this will be the second lowest barley planted acreage on record. In North Dakota, expected area planted is 1.30 million acres, up 18% from the record low in 2006. Montana's expected area increased 4% from 770,000 acres in 2006 to 800,000 acres this year.

Idaho's and Washington's expected acreage is up 4 and 10%, respectively. Growers in Oregon, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, South Dakota, Delaware, and Maryland also expect to plant more acres than in 2006, while the acreage in California and Minnesota is expected to decline to record lows.

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