While dry conditions allowed for a fast seeding pace this year, there is continuing concern about the weather, Statistics Canada’s latest principal field crop areas report released on June 29, says.
“Precipitation at the start of the growing season was well below average, and although much of the prairies have received some precipitation throughout May, lower than normal soil moisture continues to be a concern,” the release says.
Acreage wise Canadian farmers planted more canola and barley, and less wheat and peas, same as the April report had projected.
Acreage Breakdown
Canadian farmers planted 23.4 million acres of wheat in 2021, down 6.5 per cent from a year earlier. In Alberta wheat acres dropped 6.4 per cent, spring wheat fell 7.4 per cent and durum 2.3 per cent.
“Global wheat production is anticipated to increase compared to last year. If realized, higher worldwide production could result in lower wheat prices for Canadian farmers, possibly influencing some to plant less wheat than the previous year,” the report notes.
Canola acres nationally rose by 8.2 per cent to 22.5 million acres. Alberta acres were up by 14.5 per cent to 6.7 million acres.
“Increased demand has resulted in record high exports as of March 2021, resulting in lower canola stocks. High demand, coupled with decreasing supply, pushed prices to record highs in the first half of 2021, and are anticipated to remain high for the coming year.”
Barley acreage rose 9.7 per cent nationally and 5.6 per cent in Alberta. Canadian dry pea acreage dropped 10.2 per cent — in Alberta there were 222,500 less acres planted.
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