Flour production in the USA has fallen to a 2023-year low in 12. This is according to data released on February 1 by the US Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. In the last quarter of 2023, less flour was produced than at any time since 2010.
Last year, production was 419,757 million quintals, down 10,527 million quintals or 2,4% from the record 430,284 million quintals in 2022. In 2012 and 2021, flour production fluctuated by 1 million quintals annually from 425 million quintals annually. The annual decline of 10,5 million quintals in 2023 was the largest annual decline in 22 years, or since 2001, when production fell by 16,759 million quintals from the previous year.
Wheat milling was 2023 million bushels in 903,938, a decrease of 2,7 percent from 928,615 million bushels the previous year. Feed production was 6.526.221 tons, down 205.750 tons or 3,1 percent from 2022's 6.731.971 tons.
Daily flour milling capacity in the fourth quarter (and third quarter) was 1.585.386 quintals, 700 quintals more than in the fourth quarter of 2022 and 400 quintals more than in April-June 2023.
Mill utilization in 2023 was 86,5 percent of six-day capacity, which is 2,1 percentage points less than in 2022 (88,4 percent) and the lowest value in four years or than in 2019 (83,4 percent). Capacity last year was still better than any other year since the start of the year. 2014 and 2019, when capacity utilization fluctuated between 83,4 and 86,4 percent.
U.S. flour production was 105,106 million quintals in the fourth quarter, up 1,441 million quintals, or 1,4%, from 2022's 106,547 million quintals. This was the smallest cumulative October-December amount since 104,792 million quintals in 2010. The record for flour production in the fourth quarter was set in 2013 at 110,332 million quintals. This was a record for any quarter and the only time the 110 million quintal threshold was crossed.
Despite the general downward trend in flour production last year, durum wheat semolina production in 2023 was 30,905 million quintals, a decrease of 276.000 quintals or 0,9% compared to 30,629 million quintals in 2022. or 0,4% from 8,019 million quintals in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The production of non-semolina flour was 2023 million quintals in 388,852, a decrease of 10,803 million quintals or 2,7% compared to 399,655 million quintals in the previous year. Non-semolina flour production was 97,122 million quintals in the fourth quarter, down 1,406 million quintals or 1,4% from 98,528 million quintals in October-December 2022.
Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)