Canada's Wheat, Barley Crops Expected to Increase This Year
May 09, 2011
OTTAWA -- Canadian farmers are expected to record big increases in their wheat and barley harvests this year as a result of higher grain prices. Canada's main wheat crop, spring wheat, is expected to increase 27% this year from 2010 to 892.8 million bushels, Statistics Canada, a government agency, said. Spring wheat is seeded in the spring and harvested in the fall. Canada's total wheat production, which also includes winter wheat and durum wheat, is expected to total 1.10 billion bushels, the largest crop since 1992. Farmers, encouraged by higher grain prices, boosted their seeded acreage of wheat by 15% this year, Statistics Canada said. Higher yields are also expected to contribute to the increase in wheat production. Canada's 2011 barley crop is expected to increase by 25% to 746.8 million bushels, a record harvest. Tight world supplies of barley and strong demand for feed grains by livestock farmers fueled an increase in Canada's barley acreage this year. Barley is the country's main feed grain. Canola production is expected to drop by 17% to 235.3 million bushels, as farmers reduced their canola acreage to make way for wheat and barley. Canola is Canada's main oilseed.
