Oklahoma Wheat Harvest To Drop By 52 Percent

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Some wheat analysts now say the wheat crop in Oklahoma this year could be the smallest in five decades.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the winter wheat harvest will be down 52 percent from last year. The USDA predicts about 80.5 million bushels this year compared to 166.5 million last year.

Oklahoma Wheat Commission director Mike Schulte says the estimate averages out to 23 bushels per acre on 3.5 million acres.

Experts say a drought from October through May followed by a freeze in April are the prime reasons for the small crop.