(Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Canadian farmers expect to plant more wheat, oats, corn for grain in 2020

May 7, 2020 | 10:57 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Farmers across the country are busy getting their crops planted and have told Statistics Canada what to expect.

While they are planning to plant more wheat, oats, and corn for grain this year, seeding intentions for canola, soybeans, barley, dry peas, and lentils are expected to be down.

This information was collected from 11,500 farmers between March 2-30. It is only a preliminary estimate as COVID-19 restrictions lead to less data being available.

Wheat

Nationally, farmers expect to plant 3.3 per cent more acres of wheat, or 25.4 million acres compared to 2019. They look to plant the same amount of spring wheat (18.8 million acres), but anticipate higher durum (up 6.8 per cent to 5.2 million acres) and winter wheat (up 53.5 per cent to 1.4 million acres).

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“The expected increase in durum is likely due to higher prices, while the increase in winter wheat area is largely attributable to favourable winter conditions which resulted in less winterkill compared with one year earlier,” reads a statement from Stats Canada

In Alberta specifically, farmers expect to plant 1.3% more wheat in 2020 to 7.5 million acres. While spring wheat is expected to remain relatively stable compared with 2019 at 6.6 million acres, durum wheat is anticipated to rise 9.9% to 851,400 acres.

Canola

At the national level, farmers expect to seed 1.6 per cent fewer acres of canola than last year at 20.6 million acres.

“If realized, this would be the second consecutive year of decrease in canola seeded area at the national level and the lowest seeded area since 2013 as farmers shift away from oilseeds to other crops.”

Albertan producers anticipate seeding 2.8 per cent fewer acres of canola at 5.8 million acres.

Soybeans

Canadian farmers intend to plant 5.2 million acres of soybeans in 2020, down 8.7 per cent from 2019. The decrease in expected soybean area is likely due to lower prices.

No estimate was provided for soybean operations in Alberta.

Barley and oats

Nationally, farmers anticipate planting 7.2 million acres of barley in 2020, down 2.1 per cent, likely due to high barley stocks. Saskatchewan is expected to lead the decrease in barley area with a drop of 147,700 acres.

Canadian farmers intend to plant 6.3% more acres of oats from a year earlier to 3.8 million acres. This includes an increase in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

“The increase in anticipated seeded area is likely attributable to higher prices and strong demand in part due to higher feed use.”

Corn for grain

Nationally, farmers expected to plant 3.2 per cent more acres of corn for grain compared with one year earlier to 3.8 million acres in 2020.

Farmers in Ontario, the largest corn for grain producing province, anticipate a 4.5 per cent increase in planted area to 2.3 million acres.

If realized, this would be the highest-seeded acreage ever reported in the province.

No numbers were provided for Albertan farmers.

Lentils and peas

Farmers across Canada expect to plant 1.9% less lentil acreage compared with a year earlier to 3.7 million acres in 2020. The expected reduction in lentil area was driven by Saskatchewan, where area is anticipated to fall 1.9%.

Dry pea area is anticipated to fall 1.2% to 4.3 million acres. Decreases are expected in Alberta (-56,600 acres) and Saskatchewan (-46,200 acres), Manitoba will help to mitigate overall losses with an expected increase of 46,200 acres.

March preliminary estimates of principal field crop areas. (Stats Canada)