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Minnesota corn havrest forecast up 7 percent from 2011

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Sep 13, 2012 at 7:33 am

ST. PAUL, MN (AP) - While corn production is down nationwide due to the drought, Minnesota farmers are expected to harvest 7 percent more corn than last year.

Updated projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday put Minnesota's corn harvest at 1.29 billion bushels, up 90 million bushels from last year.

The main reason for the increase is Minnesota farmers planted 7 percent more acres of corn than in 2011. The statewide average yield is forecast at 156 bushels per acre, the same as last year.

Minnesota's soybean harvest is forecast at 263 million bushels, down 3 percent from last year.

Sugarbeet production is projected at 12.8 million tons, up 43 percent from 2011.