February 11, 2008

Canada expects 11 percent increased planting for wheat this year

Canada expects to see increased acreage for wheat this year, according to an acreage outlook from the market analysis division of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

The area seeded to all wheat in the spring was expected to be up 10.7 percent to hit 24.2 million acres, of that area, 6.2 million acres will be planted to durum, up 30 percent from 2007.

Small increases in rapeseed and barley area were also forecast as were drops in oats and summerfallow acres.

Rapeseed area in Canada in the spring was seen rising 1 percent to 14.888 million acres.

Seeded area to barley was seen rising only 0.5 percent to 10.9 million acres.

Meanwhile, acreage sown to oat is expected to fall 7.7 percent to 5.0 million acres.

The market analysis branch of Agriculture Canada said the area seeded in the spring will be influenced by expected net returns, current prices and other factors.

Statistics Canada is scheduled to release its first planting intentions update for the 2008/09 season on April 21.