Wheat crop production down 10% in 2021, below estimates

The USDA’s Thursday NASS annual small grains report listed all wheat total production at 1.65 billion bushels in 2021, down 10% from 2020’s 1.83 billion bushels.

The figure fell slightly short of average industry estimates of 1.68 billion bushels and was around 3% below NASS’ August projections of 1.7 billion bushels.

Despite increases in area planted (46.7 million acres) and harvested (37.2 million acres), reductions in total yield (44.3 bpa) were noted compared to last year.

Last year’s figures were listed at 44.5 million acres planted, 36.8 million acres harvested, and 49.7 bushels per acre.

By type, winter wheat production was the highest with 1.28 billion bushels reported, 3% below average industry predictions but up 9% from 2020.

In second place was other spring wheat with 331 million bushels, down 44% from 2020 but slightly higher than average estimates that landed around 327 million bushels.

Durum wheat produced 37.3 million bushels, around 3 million bushels above the average industry estimate but down 46% year-over-year.