August 29, 2011

Western Canada to cultivate more wheat, barley

The cultivation of wheat and barley will increase in 2011/12, according to the Canadian Wheat Board forecast on Friday (Aug 26).

According to Reuters, all-wheat production in Western Canada will rise to 21.3 million tonnes from 21 million tonnes a year ago, the board said at its annual summer press conference in Winnipeg.

Durum production rises to 3.9 million tonnes in Western Canada from three million tonnes last year, while the barley harvest looks to reach eight million tonnes versus seven million tonnes in 2010.

On Wednesday (Aug 24), Statistics Canada estimated Western Canadian farmers will produce 21.62 million tonnes of all-wheat, 3.75 million tonnes of durum and 7.78 million tonnes of barley.

The Wheat Board had previously forecast on June 14 that all-wheat production will reach 20.3 million tonnes, durum to reach 3.8 million tonnes and barley to reach 7.7 million tonnes.

Canada is the world's top exporter of spring wheat, durum and malting barley.

Spring floods left millions of acres unplanted in Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, but a hot summer with timely rains has helped crops in Alberta and most of Saskatchewan.

The Wheat Board looks to export 18 million tonnes of grain in 2011/12 up from 15.8 million tonnes last year which was the lowest in six years.