The U.S. is poised to deliver a bumper spring wheat crop in the upcoming weeks, which if realized could help relieve global shortfalls caused by turmoil in the Black Sea.
Fields in North Dakota, the top producing U.S. state, are forecast to yield a record high 49.1 bushels per acre of the grain, according to the final estimate of a three-day crop tour led by the Wheat Quality Council. North Dakota makes up about half of the U.S.’s spring wheat crop.
The world is counting heavily on American farm supplies to help refill grain silos as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to put more than a quarter of global wheat exports at risk. While all signs now point to an ample harvest, weather woes caused growers to plant the crop later than normal. The timing has made the wheat highly vulnerable to late-season problems that could still hurt production.
