U.S. corn, soy crop ratings seen declining on heat stress

CHICAGO, July 25 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture will likely show decreased condition ratings for U.S. corn and soybean crops after hot temperatures stressed developing plants last week, a Reuters poll of 10 analysts showed on Monday.

USDA in its weekly crop progress and conditions report due at 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT) is expected to show corn ratings at 75 percent good to excellent and soybeans at 70 percent good to excellent, each down 1 percentage point from last week, according to average analyst estimates. US/CORUS/SOY

Hotter-than-normal temperatures negatively impacted corn and soybean fields, especially in the lower half of the United States, while crop conditions also tend to ease seasonally in the warmest days, the analysts said.

However, plentiful rainfall in much of the U.S. Corn Belt limited the potential for heat damage, they said.

Analysts expect the government to report 69 percent of the U.S. spring wheat crop as good to excellent, unchanged from a week earlier. US/WHE

They predicted the winter wheat harvest would advance to 86 percent complete, up from 76 percent in the previous week.

All figures below in percent: