en English
en Englishes Spanishar Arabic
a brand of
 

Double Crop

Home > Sunflower  > Double Crop
Double Crop

25 Jun Double Crop

Posted at 13:54h in Sunflower by

Looking for a crop to Double Crop?

If you are looking to double crop behind your winter wheat you should  consider Sunflower as an option.

Double Crop Economics —- Sunflower vs. Soybean

  • New crop Oil Sunflower pricing  remains competitive with Soybean futures. High demand for sunflower oil and  bird seed with limited inventory are driving the sunflower oil and birdseed processors to continue to offer good pricing, some with Act of God contracts.
    • New crop High Oleic oil contracts are staying  around the $27/cwt range.  Colorado Mills in Lamar, CO was offering $26.85 in mid-June before any oil content premiums which can add up to $0.50/cwt for every percentage point over 40%.
    • USDA forecast an average soybean price in the US for the 2022 marketing year of $13.85.

The tables below show the 2021 Cost/Return budgets from KSU for Sunflower vs. Soybean.

  Sunflower Soybean
Yield 1500 lbs/ac 30 bushel/ac
Selling Price $27.85  (42% oil content) $13.85
     Revenue/ac $417.75 $415.50
Direct Cost/ac $109.00 $93
Net return $308.75 $322.50

                

  • While at these yield levels Sunflower net return/acre is slightly less than soybeans the risks are much lower.   Sunflowers are among the most heat/drought tolerant crops available while hot dry weather in August can severely reduce the yield potential for soybeans.  Add in the “Act of God” contracts sunflower processers offer that relieve growers of delivering product if yields are depressed by Mother Nature and the value of Sunflower is clear.

 

Managing Double Crop Sunflower

  • Mid-maturity Sunflower hybrids will do well planted as late as mid-July across Kansas and to the south. Look for shorter season hybrids for areas where early frost presents a risk.
  • Don’t change the planting population from full season recommendations for your area. Moisture is the critical factor – reduce populations to 15K under droughty conditions
  • Weed management is critical for double crop sunflower.  Don’t skip the preplant herbicides and use Clearfield or Express Sun hybrids that allow for post emergent applications if needed.

The table below shows the potential for July planted Sunflower in central Kansas. This trial had a 2,100 lb/ac average yield!

Double Crop

Contact a processor today to see what you might be able to add to your farm’s bottom line this year!