January 4, 2006

 

Soybean planted area in Canada's Manitoba to increase

 

 

Barring another poor spring planting season, Manitoba farmers should be poised to increase their soybean planted area in 2006, according to sources.

 

In 2005, Manitoba producers planted 110,000 acres of soybeans, harvesting only about 90,000 of the total, according to Statistics Canada. Original intentions had been for sown area to exceed the 2004 level of 210,000 acres, but a wet spring kept many fields empty. In 2004, only about half of the crop was actually harvested.

 

While farmers are still working out their crop rotations, early indications are pointing to soybean plantings of 350,000 to 400,000 acres in 2006, according to sources.

 

"We fully expect to have more soybean acres next year than we've had in the last little while," said Bruce Brolley, a pulse specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.

 

In 2004, when soybean production and quality in the province were both poor due to adverse conditions, some people were worried about the future of the crop in Manitoba, said Ryan McKnight, a merchant with Linear Grain. However, those who did get a crop in the ground in 2005 did pretty well, even with all the moisture.

 

"So people are definitely interested in soybeans for next year," said McKnight.

 

"I think there is some incentive from a cost of production aspect to put in soybeans," said Mike Jubinville of ProFarmer Canada, pointing to the nitrogen-fixing properties of the crop.

 

While large global supplies had him bearish on oilseeds in general, Jubinville said: "If I had a choice between flaxseed, canola and soybeans, I think soybeans have the better chance of doing something."

 

However, Brolley thought seed supplies could be an issue in Manitoba, as the province is still working to rebuild its seed stocks following the "disastrous year in 2004."

 

He said earlier and medium-maturing varieties, especially, will be in tight supply. Brolley said many early varieties of Round-Up Ready soybeans are already sold out.

 

Brolley added that the higher cost of seeding soybeans may be another detriment for some people thinking about planting the crop.

 

In 2005, soybeans in Manitoba were split with 39 percent comprised of Round-Up Ready soybeans and the remaining 61 percent consisting of conventional, non-GM soybeans, according to Manitoba Crop Insurance numbers. Brolley expected that ratio to shift in the years ahead, with more of the GM varieties being planted as the seed becomes more available. He thought GM and non-GM soybeans should be looked at as two separate crops.

 

There is a marketplace for non-GM soybeans, and producers will grow them if the premiums are attractive enough and they have a clean field to plant them on, said Brolley. However, a farmer who has a weedy field that needs to be cleaned up would never even think of conventional soybeans, he said.