Corn planting well ahead of its five-year average

Corn planting well ahead of its five-year averageThe U. S. Department of Agriculture has said that corn, soybean and rice planting continue at a torrid pace, while spring wheat and cotton are hitting their averages.

It has been reported that corn planting is 81 percent done, compared to a five-year average of 62 percent for this week of the year. Soybean planting is 30 percent done, compared to an historic average of 19 percent. The USDA said on Monday that rice planting is 82 percent compete. At this time of year, historically, rice planting is 75 percent completed.

Cotton planting is matching its historic average with 34 percent of the planting done. Spring wheat is 67 percent done, one percentage point above its five-year average of 66 percent.

40 percent of the winter wheat crop had headed out, a touch behind the historic average of 43 percent. Seventy-three percent of the winter wheat crop is listed in fair, good or excellent condition, a sharp drop from the previous week, when 93 percent was defined as fair, good or excellent in the weekly crop report, the USDA further notified. (With Inputs from Agencies)