Blizzard dumps heavy snow on Canada's grain region

Parts of the grain-growing region of Western Canada were dumped with 35cm of snow by a blizzard, but there were no immediate signs of slowing movement of crops and livestock.

The blizzard left 30-35cm of snow in western Saskatchewan, Canada's top crop-growing province and 20-25cm in eastern Saskatchewan during the weekend, said Sandy Massey, meteorologist with Environment Canada. Strong winds reduced visibility and resulted in the closure of several major highways, according to media reports.

The blizzard dropped 15-20cm of snow on the provincial capital of Winnipeg during the weekend, Massey said.

Spokespersons for Viterra, Canada's biggest grain handler, as well as Cargill, a grain handler and beef packer, and hog processor Maple Leaf Foods said they were not aware of any immediate impact on their Western Canada facilities.

Farmers are unlikely to deliver harvested crop to grain handlers during a blizzard, but ICE canola futures <RSc1> traders said it would not affect the market because farmer sales were slow anyway.