Canadian Wheat, Canola Harvests Expand, Rebounding from Dry Conditions
Posted by Emily on 5th Dec 2023
In a notable turnaround from previous predictions, Canadian farmers are set to harvest significantly more wheat and canola (rapeseed) this year. This development, highlighted in a recent government report, comes as a welcome surprise following a period of dry conditions that had put crop yields at risk.
According to Statistics Canada, this year's December report on crop estimates shows a particularly noteworthy increase. The updated figures for all-wheat production surpass the agency's earlier estimates and exceed industry experts' expectations.
The global wheat market has been experiencing a decline in ending stocks for four consecutive years. Contributing factors include Canada's drought and excessive rainfall in Australia, although a substantial harvest in Russia has partially balanced these. Canada holds a critical position in the global market as the fourth-largest wheat exporter and the premier exporter of canola.
The revised production estimate for all wheat stands at 32 million metric tons. Although this is the second-lowest figure in six years, it represents a significant rise from the September forecast of 29.8 million tons and is higher than the average industry expectation of 31.1 million tons.
Brian Voth, president of IntelliFarm, commented on the unexpected increase: "It's a pretty big jump from the fall report. Yields came off quite a bit better than expected." He attributes part of this success to late-summer rains that may have rejuvenated some of the crops.
In detail, the harvest for spring wheat, primarily used for baking flour, reached 24.8 million tons, an increase from StatsCan's earlier estimate of 22.6 million and surpassing the average trade estimate of 24 million. Furthermore, durum production, the hard wheat essential for pasta, yielded 4 million tons. This figure, though the second-smallest in 13 years, is still noteworthy given the tight global supplies and is slightly less than StatsCan's previous estimate.
The report, based on a survey of farmers, also revealed that canola production reached 18.3 million tons. This figure is an improvement from the 17.4 million reported earlier but represents a 2% decrease from last year. Notably, this estimate aligns with the average industry prediction.
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