Features Agronomy Corn
Canadian soybean, corn and canola production increased in 2015

Dec. 4, 2015, Canada – Nationally, production of most major field crops increased in 2015, while wheat and dry peas production declined, reports Statistics Canada in its November report on production of principal field crops. Soybean production reached a record high for the seventh consecutive year.

Soil conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan improved towards harvest as early dry weather gave way to mid-to-late summer rains. Consequently, yield expectations improved through the latter parts of the growing season. Eastern Canada as well as Manitoba saw more temperate and consistent growing conditions, which contributed to robust production for several crops.

Wheat
Total wheat production declined 6.2 per cent to 27.6 million tonnes in 2015. While harvested area edged up from 2014 to 23.7 million acres, average total wheat yield declined 3.3 bushels per acre from a year earlier to 42.8 bushels per acre in 2015. Dry conditions during the growing phase in much of Canada's wheat belt contributed to lower crop yields. In comparison, the United States Department of Agriculture estimates for its 2015 crop year show an all-wheat yield of 43.6 bushels per acre, essentially unchanged from a year earlier.

Despite similar harvested areas compared with 2014, total wheat production fell in Saskatchewan and Alberta, as average yields declined in both provinces.

In Saskatchewan, wheat production declined 7.9 per cent to 13 million tonnes as average yield fell 8.1 per cent from 40.5 bushels per acre in 2014 to 37.2 bushels per acre in 2015.

In Alberta, wheat production decreased 11.3 per cent to 8.3 million tonnes, with the average yield falling 5.5 bushels per acre to 46.2 bushels per acre.

In contrast, wheat production in Manitoba rose 11.1 per cent to 4.2 million tonnes, as harvested area increased 9.8 per cent to 3.1 million acres, while average yield edged up to 50.3 bushels per acre.

Canola
Canola production rose five per cent to 17.2 million tonnes in 2015, the result of an increase in average yield from 35.1 bushels per acre in 2014 to 38 bushels per acre in 2015. This marked the second highest canola yield on record, following the 40.6 bushels per acre posted during the bumper crop of 2013.

In Saskatchewan, canola production rose 10.4 per cent to 8.8 million tonnes as average yield rose 10.6 per cent, from 33 bushels per acre in 2014 to 36.5 bushels per acre in 2015. Harvested area was essentially unchanged from a year earlier.

Manitoba farmers reported canola production of 2.9 million tonnes, up 13.8 per cent from the previous year. An 11.9 per cent increase in the average yield from 36 bushels per acre to 40.3 bushels per acre was the main contributor to the gain.

In contrast, canola production in Alberta fell 6.1 per cent to 5.4 million tonnes. Harvested area was down 10 per cent, while average yield rose from 38 bushels per acre in 2014 to 39.7 bushels per acre in 2015.

Corn for grain
Production of corn for grain rose 18 per cent from 2014 to 13.6 million tonnes in 2015. This was the result of a 10.4 per cent increase in average yield to 164.7 bushels per acre, coupled with a 210,200 acre rise in harvested area to 3.2 million acres.

Ontario is the leading producer of corn for grain in Canada, accounting for an average of two-thirds of total production over the past five years. In 2015, Ontario's production of corn for grain rose 16.3 per cent to 8.8 million tonnes. This gain was attributable to a 9.7 per cent increase in harvested area, combined with an increase in average yield from 160.9 bushels per acre in 2014 to 170.6 bushels per acre this year. Genetically modified corn for grain accounted for 81.3 per cent of Ontario's 2015 production of this crop.

Corn for grain production in Quebec rose 24.2 per cent to 3.8 million tonnes, led by a 20.5 per cent increase in average yield to 164.6 bushels per acre as well as a 3.1 per cent gain in harvested area to 899,500 acres. Genetically modified corn for grain accounted for 85.4 per cent of Quebec's total corn for grain production in 2015.

In Manitoba, corn for grain production rose 13.1 per cent to 787,400 tonnes, as a result of an increase in average yield from 111.8 bushels per acre to 126.5 bushels per acre.

Soybeans
Canadian farmers reported a seventh consecutive record of soybean production in 2015, up 3.1 per cent from 2014 to 6.2 million tonnes. While harvested area fell 2.2 per cent, average yield rose from 40.2 bushels per acre in 2014 to 42.4 bushels per acre in 2015. The overall increase was attributable to record production levels in Manitoba and Quebec, as production in Ontario declined.

Soybean production in Manitoba reached a fourth consecutive record high, up 25.5 per cent from 2014 to 1.4 million tonnes in 2015. This was the result of an increase in average yield from 32.3 bushels per acre to 37 bushels per acre and a 9.5 per cent increase in harvested area.

Quebec also reported a fourth consecutive record high, with soybean production rising 11.4 per cent to one million tonnes. This gain was the result of a 22.2 per cent increase in average yield to 47.3 bushels per acre as harvested area fell 8.8 per cent from the previous year. The production of genetically modified soybeans accounted for 58.4 per cent of total soybean production in Quebec in 2015.

In Ontario, soybean production fell 5.2 per cent from 2014 to 3.6 million tonnes, in line with a decline in harvested area. Average yield was steady at 45.5 bushels per acre. Genetically modified soybean production in the province reached 2.3 million tonnes in 2015, accounting for 62.9 per cent of total soybean production in Ontario.

Barley and oats
Farmers reported a 15.5 per cent increase in barley production to 8.2 million tonnes in 2015. This was the result of increases in both harvested area, up 10.2 per cent to 5.8 million acres, and average yield, up 5.0 per cent to 65 bushels per acre. The increase in production in 2015 returned barley to the five-year average (2010 to 2014), but was well below the record set in 1996 of 15.6 million tonnes.

Oat production increased 15.1 per cent from 2014 to 3.4 million tonnes nationally in 2015. This gain was the result of a 13.7 per cent increase in harvested area to 2.6 million acres and a 1.3 per cent advance in average yield to 85.3 bushels per acre. Oat production in 2015 surpassed the recent five-year average, but matched the 10-year average (2005 to 2014). The highest level of oat production occurred in 1942, when 9.9 million tonnes were produced.

December 4, 2015  By Statistics Canada