Canada Markets

Spring planting in North Dakota is taking place at the slowest pace since records began 32 years ago. It's obvious why the spring wheat crop garners most of the attention in the discussion surrounding these delays, as the state is expected to seed 6.2 million acres of the forecasted 12.701 million acres of spring wheat. As of the June 9 Crop Progress report, this acreage was 77% planted, behind the five-year average of 94%. Emergence was at 58%, behind the five-year average of 85%. The condition of the crop was rated at 69% Good to Excellent; 1.426 million acres are left to be planted as of June 9.

There are a number of smaller acreage crops that are also behind in planting progress, which may have implications for Canadian Prairie markets.

The first is durum. North Dakota is expected to plant 1.1 million acres of the country's 1.751 ma total acreage. Durum planting is very much on par with the progress of spring wheat planting: 78% of the durum is planted, as compared to the five-year average of 85%; 55% of the crop is emerged, which compares to 99% last year and a give-year average of 74%. The crop is rated as being 85% Good to Excellent. Meanwhile, 242,000 acres were yet to be planted as of June 9.

North Dakota is also forecast to plant 1.230 ma of the country's 1.6537 ma of canola. To date, this crop is 57% planted, which is behind the five-year average of 90%. As of June 9, 31% of the crop had emerged, behind the average of 75%. The crop is rated at 49% Good to Excellent. As of June 9, just over a half million acres remained unplanted.

It would appear that the final planting date for U.S. crop insurance coverage of canola is June 5, which could very well be a deciding factor in late seeding. A shortfall in production can have implications for the U.S. crush industry, which has expanded capacity in both Washington state and Minnesota, but also Canadian crushers that would typically compete for a small volume of U.S. supplies.

Another oilseed crop which has suffered as a result of spring planting conditions is flax. North Dakota was forecast to plant 250,000 acres of the country's 272,000 acres. This crop was reported as being 42% planted, just half of the five-year average pace at 84%. Emergence was only 18% as of June 9, down from the five-year average of 63%; 55% of the planted crop was rated Good to Excellent, while 145,000 acres were yet to be planted.

North Dakota is forecast to plant 320,000 of the 850,000 acres of dry pea acres planted in the U.S. As of June 9, planting progress was on par with the five-year average, at 89% complete. Emergence was at 71%, below the five-year average of 85%. The crop was rated at 79% Good to Excellent.

In addition to peas, North Dakota is forecast to seed 550,000 acres of the total 1.5 ma of dry beans. As of June 9, only 39% had been planted, well-below the five-year average of 83%. Emergence was reported at 6%, far below the 44% five-year average. The growing crop was reported at 42% Good to Excellent.

Cliff Jamieson can be reached at cliff.jamieson@telventdtn.com

(AG)

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