Forecast: Kansas farmers will harvest bountiful wheat crop

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – Kansas farmers are expected to harvest a bountiful winter wheat crop this season, according to a government forecast released Wednesday.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated that the Kansas wheat crop will come in at 331 million bushels, up 18% from last year’s crop. It forecast average yields in the state of 48 bushels per acre, an increase of 3 bushels from last year.

The agency also estimated that 6.9 million acres will be harvested in Kansas. That is 650,000 more acres of wheat than a year ago. Its projections are based on May 1 crop conditions.