Canada Markets

December's Statistics Canada production crop production data revealed the wheat production by class for the 2013/14 crop year. While total Canadian wheat production increased 38% from 2012 to 37.530 million metric tonnes, production increases seen in the major classes ranged from a 1.4% increase in winter wheat production to a 131% increase seen in the production of soft white spring wheat.

The smallest year-over-year change was seen in the winter wheat class, with a mere 1.4% change over 2012 production levels, with total production reported at 3.786 mmt. The province of Ontario produced 2.278 mmt of winter wheat, largely SRW, a 30% increase over 2012 levels. The Prairie Provinces produced 1.468 mmt of HRW, a decline of 24.6% from 2012. Of this volume, 53.4% was produced in Manitoba, 28.8% was produced in Saskatchewan and 17.8% was produced in Alberta.

Hard red spring wheat production grew by 35% over 2012 levels to 22.1 mmt. The largest percentage increase was seen in Manitoba, with total production of 4.191 mmt up 47% from 2012. In total, 44.6% of the hard red spring production took place in Saskatchewan, 36% in Alberta, 19% from Manitoba and 0.4% was harvested in British Columbia.

Durum production was 40.6% above 2012 levels in 2013 at 6.5 mmt. The largest jump in production took place in Saskatchewan, with a 44.7% increase over 2012 production. Of the total produced, 86.6% originated in Saskatchewan while the balance was harvested in Alberta.

One thing that jumps out from the attached chart is the sharp rise in production in some of the smaller classes, such as the Canada Prairie Spring class and the Soft White Wheat class. Canada Prairie Spring wheat production increased sharply, up 102% to 1.932 mmt, the highest level of production seen since 1999. OF this production, 66% was produced in Alberta, 28% was produced in Saskatchewan, 4% was grown in Manitoba and 2% was produced in British Columbia.

The largest percentage growth seen in any class was in the soft white spring class, with a year over year growth of 131%, with total production at 2.217 mmt. Sharp increases took place in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, with 68.5% of total production grown in Saskatchewan and the balance in Alberta.

Suggestions have been made on a social media site that some prairie grain companies have bought all the wheat they need for the 2013/14 crop year. I'd be interested in your experience. What classes are moving and which aren't? Feel free to e-mail me at cliff.jamieson@telventdtn.com

(AG)

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