It has been reported that farmers in Canada are planting more wheat, canola, barley, corn and soybeans, but fewer acres oats, lentils and dry peas according to the June 2023 Field Crop Survey.
Conditions have been favourable throughout the western part of Canada which helped producers seed in a timely manner. Seeding was nearly completed at the end of May in Alberta which is ahead of the average time because of warm, dry conditions. In both Saskatchewan and Manitoba, planting was slightly behind average due to too much moisture.
Field conditions in Eastern Canada were also favourable and allowed for good seeding progress. In Ontario and Quebec, seeding was mostly complete by mid-May with normal temperature and dry conditions, except for parts of eastern Ontario and western Quebec. In Atlantic Canada, seeding made good progress even with below normal precipitation.
According to the crop survey, wheat levels are the highest seen in over two decades. This large increase will help with making prices more favourable and meeting global demand.
“Alberta producers reported planting 7.9 million acres of wheat, up 4.4 per cent from 2022, led by greater spring wheat area, which increased 6.4 per cent to 6.8 million acres in 2023. Durum wheat area in the province fell 8.3 per cent to 996,800 acres,” the report stated.
The area of canola also increased this year. “Farmers reported planting 22.1 million acres of canola in 2023, up 3.2 per cent from the previous year. The greater area may be the result of relatively favourable prices,” according to the report.
In Alberta, canola acres were down 2.4 per cent from 2022, meaning 6.4 million acres were planted there.
Soybean area stayed in line with the five-year average and increased 6.8 per cent in 2023.
Farmers noted that while they are planting more barley, up 3.9 per cent from last year, oats have fallen 35.6 per cent which is the lowest oat acreage that has been recorded.
Corn for grain saw an increase in seeding from 2022. According to the report, “At the national level, farmers reported seeding more corn for grain in 2023 compared with the previous year, rising 5.5 per cent to 3.8 million acres, led by higher seeded area in Manitoba (plus 46.3 per cent to 553,900 acres).”
An area that deceased were lentils and dry peas, seeing the lowest level since 2014.
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