US Whole Wheat Flour Production Slows Down During the Third Quarter

Whole wheat flour production in the United States during the third quarter, spanning from July to September, was reported at 4,612,000 hundredweights (cwts). This figure reflects a decrease of 18,000 cwts, or 0.4%, when compared to the third quarter of the previous year. The data was released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the US Department of Agriculture on November 1.

While this third-quarter production fell slightly short of the previous year's numbers, it's important to note that the production volume was considerably lower than that of previous third quarters.

During the third quarter, the production of whole wheat flour accounted for 4.3% of the total US flour production. The first three quarters of 2023 collectively yielded a whole wheat flour production of 13,404,000 cwts, which was 1,012,000 cwts lower than the same period in the previous year, constituting a 7% decrease. Throughout the first three quarters of the year, whole wheat flour production represented 4.3% of the total US flour production.

In terms of whole wheat semolina, the third quarter of 2023 recorded a production of 111,000 cwts. This marked a decrease of 12,000 cwts, which amounts to a 10% reduction compared to the third quarter of the previous year when production stood at 123,000 cwts. Whole wheat semolina accounted for 1.5% of the total semolina production for the quarter. The year-to-date figures for 2023 show that whole wheat semolina production reached 299,000 cwts, reflecting a 1% decrease when compared to the previous year.

Production of whole wheat flour, excluding semolina, for the third quarter of 2023 amounted to 4,501,000 cwts. This indicated a slight decrease of 6,000 cwts, equivalent to 0.1%, when compared to the production of 4,507,000 cwts from the previous year. It's important to highlight that production witnessed a 7% increase when compared to the second quarter. Whole wheat flour production, excluding semolina, accounted for 4.5% of the total flour production, excluding semolina.

Considering the cumulative data for the year up to 2023, the production of whole wheat flour, excluding semolina, totaled 13,105,000 cwts. This figure shows a 7% decrease when compared to the production of 14,114,000 cwts recorded during the first nine months of 2022.

The data surrounding whole wheat flour production in the United States during the third quarter of 2023 suggests a decrease when compared to the previous year. However, the data also highlights fluctuations in production throughout the year and provides insights into the role of whole wheat products within the larger context of flour and semolina production in the country.