Centre county Pennsylvania, USA |
If ASR (soybean rust) actually becomes a problem in the US corn belt (currently jury is hung) it should add about 40 cents/bu to cost of production in current numbers ($20/acre fungicide/ 50 bushel/acre yield = 40 cents/bushel. Even if ASR does finally arrive in the US corn belt someday, it's marginal cost of production shouldn't have a lasting effect in the bean market game. Consider wheat as an example. Wheat requires intensive, and frequent, fungicide application over much of the wheat production areas, and has for more years than I care to remember. Wheat market hasn't responded to that production cost with any consistent reward or penalty, why would the soybean market be any different ?
FWIW, we stocked up on enough Stratego (ASR fungicide) in 2005 to cover our annual soybean acres. That stock is still in inventory, waiting for the big - one to hit.................. |