The outlook for American soybean growers has improved as small increases in yield and harvested area add up to a larger crop, according to the latest crop outlook reported by Farms.com.

The national average yield for the 2026/27 marketing year is now estimated at 52.8 bushels an acre, slightly above the previous forecast. Planted area has risen to 86.9 million acres and harvested area is expected to reach 85.9 million acres, putting production at about 4.5 billion bushels.

More beans mean more to sell abroad: exports are forecast at 1.69 billion bushels. The domestic crush forecast is unchanged at 2.78 billion bushels. Because exports draw more soybeans into the market, ending stocks are projected slightly lower at 310 million bushels, and the season-average price forecast has been raised to $12.00 a bushel.

Other oilseeds are also growing. Global rapeseed production is expected to approach 100 million tonnes and sunflowerseed output is forecast at 63.7 million tonnes. Forecasts for rapeseed crushing have been raised for both 2025/26 and 2026/27, driven largely by more processing in the European Union, Bangladesh and Canada.

Palm oil is the weak spot: Indonesia's production forecast has been cut to 47.2 million tonnes on slightly weaker yields. Larger rapeseed and sunflower oil supplies are expected to offset that and keep vegetable oil markets steady, with demand from food processors and biofuel producers remaining strong.

Photo: United Soybean Board / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Source: Farms.com