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Wheat, corn and soybean crops increase in 2013

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

July 3, 2013, Canada – Canadian farmers have planted fewer acres of canola and barley this year, opting instead for larger areas of wheat varieties, corn and soybeans, revealed results of Statistics Canada's June Farm Survey, released last week.

As of June 10, farmers had either planted, or intended to plant, larger areas of spring wheat, durum wheat and oats than in 2012, but fewer acres of canola and barley. Farmers also reported seeding record areas of corn and soybeans.

At the time of the survey, farmers reported that seeding was well underway and conditions were relatively normal compared with past years. However, some areas were not yet seeded because of excess moisture.

Wheat

At the national level, total wheat area increased 9.3 per cent from 2012 to 25.9 million acres in 2013. Spring wheat acreage accounted for most of the advance, up 12.6 per cent to 19.1 million acres. Durum wheat increased 4.3 per cent to 4.9 million acres.

In Saskatchewan, spring wheat acreage rose 14.4 per cent to 9.7 million acres, while durum wheat was up four per cent to 4.3 million acres. Spring wheat area also increased in Manitoba (+19.3 per cent to 2.9 million acres) and Alberta (+7.3 per cent to 6.2 million acres).

Canola 

Producers reported 19.7 million acres seeded in canola, down 8.3 per cent from 2012. This would represent the first decrease in canola acres seeded at the national level since 2006.

Saskatchewan was the largest contributor to the national decline, with canola acreage falling eight per cent to 10.3 million acres. Seeding was also down in Alberta (-6.5 per cent to 6.1 million acres) and Manitoba (-12.2 per cent to 3.1 million acres) compared with 2012.

Barley and oats

In line with results from the March 2013 Farm Survey on seeding intentions, Canadian farmers reported seeding fewer acres of barley, down 3.1 per cent from 2012 to 7.2 million acres.

At the same time, land seeded to oats increased 18.1 per cent to 3.4 million acres in 2013.

Corn for grain

Nationally, farmers reported seeding a record corn for grain area of 3.6 million acres, up 2.9 per cent from 2012.

Quebec farmers planted 1.0 million acres of corn for grain, up 6.6 per cent from 2012. However, the largest percentage increase came in Manitoba, where farmers reported a record corn for grain area of 365,000 acres, up 21.7 per cent from 2012.

In Ontario, corn for grain seeded declined 1.6 per cent to 2.2 million acres.

Soybeans

At the national level, soybean area rose 10.5 per cent from 2012 to a record 4.6 million acres in 2013. This advance was mainly the result of a higher soybean area in Manitoba (+35.6 per cent), where farmers reported seeding a record 1.1 million acres. This was the sixth consecutive increase in soybean area in Manitoba.

Soybean area also rose in Quebec, up three per cent or 21,000 acres to 712,900 acres.

In Ontario, farmers reported a 1.5 per cent decrease to 2.6 million acres.

July 3, 2013  By Top Crop Manager