CHICAGO (Dow Jones) -- Soybean crush rates for March in the National Oilseed Processors Association's monthly soybean crush report are expected to rise to about 141.5 million bushels on seasonal processing trends, according to a survey of industry analysts.

The month-over-month increase in the crush reflects a seasonal upturn in processing, attributed to more days for crushing in March than in February.

The crush was measured at 136.4 million bushels in February. Last year, the soy crush for March measured 134.4 million bushels.

Aside from the additional three days for crushing in March versus the previous month, the crush pace is down slightly on a daily basis from February, said Anne Frick, senior oilseed analyst with Jefferies Bache in New York.

Meanwhile, Doane Advisory Service analyst Bill Nelson estimates the crush holding steady, more in line with levels achieved last year.

"The strong crush of February may have produced some larger than normal month-ending stocks which may have contributed 100,000 tons or more to the consumption needs of March," Nelson said. March month ending stocks would revert back toward normal with the crush a little less than it might otherwise be, he added.

NOPA's report on the March soybean crush is scheduled to be released Monday at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT). The NOPA report has added significance after U.S. Census Bureau discontinued its reporting of soybean crushings in July.

Meanwhile, the average estimate from analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires is that the NOPA report will show soyoil stocks building from the prior month. The average of analysts' estimates was 2.360 billion pounds, compared to February soyoil stocks of 2.242 billion. Estimates ranged from 2.318 billion pounds to 2.417 billion pounds.

Export shipments well off the pace in February led to the build in soyoil stockpiles, Nelson said.