Global commodity production, area and yield estimates <br> for Grains, Oilseeds and Cotton. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/ Wed, Dec 14 2011 13:54:17 Wed, Dec 14 2011 13:54:17 http://www.fas.usda.gov/pecad/images/2005_h1.png http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/ PECAD - Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division 62 72 Establishment conditions for Ukraine's 2012/13 winter crops have been unusually and persistently dry. Although the dryness did not impede planting progress, surface soil moisture in most regions of the country was insufficient for proper crop establishment and officials report that about one-third of the county's winter grains are entering the winter in weak condition. Winter grains comprise about half of total grain area and production in Ukraine. According to a November 21 planting report from the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, winter grains for 2012/13 were sown on 8.05 million hectares (against 8.33 million for 2011/12), including 6.50 (6.55) million wheat, 0.33 (0.29) million rye, and 1.22 (1.25) million barley. Planting proceeded rapidly, virtually matching last year's pace, and was complete by early November. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/12/ukr_14dec2011 Dec 14, 2011 Rice is the staple foodgrain produced in Laos, with greater than 60 percent of all agricultural land devoted to its cultivation. However, Laos has serious limits to its ability to expand future production, given it has the smallest amount of arable land (4% of total national area) of any country in Southeast Asia. Despite the inherent shortage of arable land, Laotian farmers have made great progress during the past decade in improving average rice yields and modestly expanding crop area, leading to significantly higher national production. Official government statistics indicate that the country first achieved rice self-sufficiency in 1999 and that total rice production increased an additional 36 percent between 2000-2010. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/12/Laos_13Dec2011 Dec 13, 2011 Heavy monsoon rainfall and multiple typhoons have innundated large areas of productive rice lands in Southeast Asia during September and October. Cultivated rice areas stretching from Burma in the west to the Philippines in the east have been negatively affected, with an estimated 2.6 million hectares or 6 percent of the regions total rice area experiencing flooded conditions. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) staff throughout the region have been investigating the ongoing impact of adverse weather and flooding on crops and have contributed to the overall assessment provided in this article. In addition, a special satellite-based flood assessment analysis was made in October to more clearly illustrate where flooding was directly impacting rice crops across mainland SE Asia. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/11/SE Asia Nov 09, 2011 Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) personnel in Ankara traveled widely in the winter grain producing regions of Turkey during June to assess wheat and barley production prospects. As a result of their investigations USDA is currently forecasting 2011/12 wheat production at 18.5 million tons, up 1.1 million or 6 percent from last month and up 9 percent from last year. Barley production is forecast at 6.5 million tons, up 0.8 million or 14 percent from last month and up 10 percent from last year. Though winter grain production was poor across much of the Middle East this year, Turkey has experienced extremely favorable growing conditions and is headed for a near-record harvest. Turkey is the region's largest wheat and barley producer, accounting for 47 and 58 percent respectively of total production in the Middle East. Bumper crop production prospects this year will ensure that it also maintains its role as the leading grain exporter in the region. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/07/Turkey Jul 12, 2011 For the past 30 years Malaysia has been a world leader regarding organizing an efficient and highly productive commercial oil palm plantation sector, as well as in pioneering important agricultural research and varietal development that benefited palm oil producers throughout the region. As a result of the coordinated efforts of government and commercial companies over this extended period (1979-2010), Malaysian palm oil production increased roughly 600 percent - averaging 7 percent growth per annum. Malaysia was the world's leading producer and supplier of palm oil and its various by-products for much of this period, only recently being eclipsed by its neighbor Indonesia. The strength and continuity of the 3 decades-long growth cycle was a remarkable achievement, being a product of substantial financial investment, a large pool of skilled immigrant labor, and extensive land areas suitable for conversion to plantations. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/06/Malaysia Jun 28, 2011 The 2011/12 wheat harvest in the Middle East is already underway in parts of Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. The bulk of the harvest usually occurs from late May through July, though crops at higher elevations in both Turkey and Iran mature later and harvest activities normally continue in these areas through August. Early indications are that 2011/12 wheat production will be lower than last year, as autumn drought reduced planted area and crop establishment in many non-irrigated growing regions. Both crop area and yield are expected to decline across the wider region owing to insufficient rainfall and/or irrigation supply at various times of the growing season. USDA is currently estimating 2011/12 Middle East wheat production at 37.9 million tons, down 2.2 million or 6 percent from last year. Harvested wheat area is forecast at 18.2 million hectares, down 0.28 million or 2 percent. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/05/Middle East May 11, 2011 The 2011 wheat harvest in Afghanistan will begin in the next few weeks and be completed at the highest elevations in the Hindu Kush Mountains sometime in late July or early August 2011. The bulk of the harvest usually occurs from late May through early July, as the majority of crops are cultivated in earlier-maturing lowland locations. Early indications are that 2011 wheat production will decline significantly from last year, as deficient moisture and poor crop germination plagued the vast northern growing regions of the country. Both crop area and yield are expected to decline owing to insufficient rainfall and/or irrigation supply at various times of the growing season. USDA is currently estimating marketing year 2011/12 wheat production at 2.5 million tons, down 1.2 million or 33 percent from last year. Harvested wheat area is forecast at 2.1 million hectares, down 0.25 million or 11 percent. http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/05/Afghanistan May 11, 2011 A serious drought has developed in eastern China over the past few months. Total precipitation has been scarce since October 2010, with some locations on the North China Plain receiving less than 10 percent of normal precipitation through December 2011. A lack of snow cover has deprived the dormant winter wheat crop of valuable moisture and protection from frigid temperatures and winds. Seasonably dry and cold weather is expected to continue for the next two weeks. The impact of the drought has been mitigated by the widespread availability of water for irrigation, but crop stress could become serious if the drought continues after the winter wheat emerges from dormancy in February/March 2011. Historically, the most important factors determining winter wheat yield in China has been the amount and distribution of rainfall during the reproduction/grain fill stage (April / May). http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2011/01/China Jan 14, 2011