Canadian canola production at 13.3 million tonnes in 2012, down 8.9% from 2011, Statistics Canada says; wheat up 7.6% to 1.9 million tonnes; barley rises 1.5% to 8 million tonnes; soybeans up 8.4% to 3.3 million tonnes; corn up 11.3% to 8.6 million tonnes

Nevin Barich

OTTAWA , December 5, 2012 (press release) – Production of wheat at the national level increased from 2011, while canola declined, according to the third and final production estimates for 2012. Both corn and soybean production set record highs nationally.

In the West, farmers reported that weather conditions during harvest, such as hail, had an adverse affect on canola yields. In the East, favorable conditions during harvest contributed to higher yields in corn and soybean crops.

Canola

At the national level, canola production amounted to 13.3 million tonnes, down 8.9% from 14.6 million tonnes in 2011. This was the result of a 19.2% decrease in yield to 27.7 bushels per acre. However, farmers reported a record harvested area of 21.2 million acres, up 13.1% from 2011.

In both Saskatchewan and Alberta, canola production fell, driven by lower yields compared with 2011.

In Saskatchewan, the average canola yield was 24.6 bushels per acre, down 25.2% from 2011. This resulted in a 16.5% decrease in production to 6.1 million tonnes. In Alberta, production fell 8.4% to 4.9 million tonnes, the result of a 14.9% decline in yield.

In Manitoba, however, canola production increased 20.3% to 2.1 million tonnes. This followed a 21.2% decline in 2011 when farmers were unable to recover from early season flooding. The increase in 2012 was the result of a 30.5% gain in harvested area to 3.6 million acres, which surpassed the previous record of 3.2 million acres set in 2009. However, yield decreased 7.8% to 26.1 bushels per acre.

Wheat

Nationally, total wheat production rose by 1.9 million tonnes (+7.6%) from 2011 to 27.2 million tonnes. Reported yield was 42.6 bushels per acre, down 3.2% from 2011.

Farmers reported increases in wheat production in both Manitoba (+76.0%) and Saskatchewan (+10.4%). In Manitoba, the gain was the result of a 27.0% increase in yield and a 38.8% increase in harvested area. In Saskatchewan, the increase was solely the result of an 18.0% larger harvested area of 12.9 million acres, as average yield was down 6.5% from 2011. In Alberta, farmers reported a 5.3% decline, the result of a combined 2.9% drop in yield and a 2.6% decline in harvested area.

Barley and oats

Farmers reported barley production of 8.0 million tonnes, a 1.5% increase from 2011. While harvested area increased 14.5%, average yield declined 11.5% to 54.1 bushels per acre. Manitoba farmers reported barley production more than doubled (+136.6%) from 261 300 tonnes in 2011 to 618 300 tonnes in 2012.

Oat production at the national level fell 15.0% from 2011 to 2.7 million tonnes. This decline was driven by decreases in harvested area, from 2.7 million acres in 2011 to 2.4 million acres, and in yield, from 76.5 to 73.6 bushels per acre. Oat production fell in every Prairie province except Manitoba, where production increased 31.8% to 569 100 tonnes.

Soybeans

Nationally, total soybean production in 2012 increased 14.7% to a record 4.9 million tonnes. This was the result of combined increases in harvested area (+8.2%) and average yield (+6.1%).

Ontario soybean production reached a record 3.3 million tonnes, up 8.4% from 2011. This increase was the result of a 2.9% rise in yield as well as a record harvested area of 2.6 million acres, up 5.3% from 2011.

In Quebec, soybean production increased 3.1% to 825 000 tonnes, despite a decrease in harvested area of 6.5% to 690,700 acres. The increase in production was the result of a 10.3% rise in average yield to 43.9 bushels per acre.

Manitoba farmers reported record soybean production of 759 300 tonnes. Harvested area was reported at 800,000 acres, up 40.4% from 2011. Yield also increased, from 26.7 bushels per acre in 2011 to 34.9 in 2012.

Corn for grain

Nationally, production of corn for grain reached a record high of 13.1 million tonnes, up 15.0% from 2011.

In Ontario, corn for grain production was up 11.3% from 2011 to a record 8.6 million tonnes. The production increase in 2012 was driven mainly by a 10.5% increase in harvested area to a record 2.2 million acres.

Quebec farmers reported corn production increased 12.2% to 3.5 million tonnes in 2012. This was the result of a 9.5% increase in yield to 145.0 bushels per acre, combined with a 2.4% increase in harvested area.

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