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Harvesting
Drought slashes crop output
Aug. 24, 2009 -Alberta's wheat, barley and canola crops are reportedly down as much as 40 percent, according to preliminary estimates, with some canola crops failing to germinate in some of the harder-hit regions.
August 24, 2009 By Calgary Herald
August 24, 2009
Lisa Schmidt
Drought has hammered crops in Alberta, with farmers expected to bring in a much smaller harvest this year.
Statistics Canada said Friday production for all major crops is expected to fall this year, after a cool spring and a lack of moisture held back development at least two weeks behind normal.
Estimates for Alberta's major crops -wheat, barley and canola -are down as much as 40 percent this year, according to preliminary estimates.
And with harvest now getting underway, those forecasts could shrink even more if delayed crops are hit with an early frost, say producers already bracing for a hit to their bottom line.
"With those kind of drops in yields and production, a lot of farmers are going to be negative territory this year," said Humphrey Banack, a Camrose-area producer and president of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers.
Dave Burroughs, an analyst with Statistics Canada, said the Alberta estimates also showed a big drop in the area of abandoned acres due to drought conditions.
