WASHINGTON – Although silking was nearly complete, corn reaching the dough and dent stages, with the latter indicating maturity, in the 18 major states continued to lag five-year averages as of Aug. 11, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its most recent Crop Progress report.

The U.S.D.A. said 32% of the crop had reached the dough stage as of Aug. 11, down from the 48% five-year average. A small proportion of the crop had also moved into the dent stage in the latest week: 5% compared to a five-year average of 17% for the date, the U.S.D.A. said. Ninety-four per cent of the crop was silking, near the 95% average for the date.

The condition of the crop remained steady compared to the previous week. The U.S.D.A. said 64% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition in the 18 major states as of Aug. 11, 25% was rated fair and 11% was very poor to poor, identical ratings as the previous week and in sharp contrast to a year ago when 23% of the crop was good to excellent and 51% was poor to very poor.

The soybean crop in the 18 major states was 88% blooming, down from 92% as the five-year average, the U.S.D.A. said. A total of 58% of the crop was setting pods as of Aug. 11, down from a 68% five-year average for the date.

The condition of the soybean crop in the 18 major states was the same as the previous week, with 64% rated good to excellent, 27% fair and 9% very poor to poor, the U.S.D.A. said, which compared with 30% good to excellent and 38% poor to very poor a year ago.

Spring wheat in the six major states was 6% harvested as of Aug. 11, well behind 24% as the average for the date. The crop was rated 66% good to excellent, down from 68% a week earlier, 26% fair and 8% poor to very poor.

The oats crop, which was 51% harvested in the latest week in the nine major states, compared to 67% harvested as the five-year average, was in the same condition as it was a week ago, the U.S.D.A. reported.
The crop was 55% good to excellent, 31% fair and 14% very poor to poor as of the week ended Aug. 11, the U.S.D.A. said.

The rice crop in the six major states was 70% headed as of Aug. 11, ahead of the five-year average for the date at 68%, the U.S.D.A. said. The condition of the crop improved by a percentage point compared to a week ago. The crop was 71% good to excellent, 25% fair and 4% poor to very poor. In the week-ago ratings, 5% of the crop was very poor to poor, the U.S.D.A. said.

Peanuts in the eight major states were 93% pegging as of Aug. 11, the same percentage as the five-year average. A total of 65% of the crop was rated good to excellent, up two percentage points from 63% in the previous week, the U.S.D.A. said.