Statistics Canada has released new modelling for crop estimates. (Photo: Hydromet | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

Farmers projected to grow more wheat, canola, oats and soybeans in 2024

Aug 29, 2024 | 9:23 AM

It has been a mixed year for Canadian agriculture with much higher expected yields for some types of crops and lower for others.

Statistics Canada says a range of weather-related challenges resulted in overall lower-than-normal plant health across much of the prairies.

The vegetation growth index for July 22-28, 2024 shows that several growing areas in southern Alberta are expected to be similar or lower than typical levels, while most of the central region is “much lower.”

It was not all bad news, however.

Wheat production in Alberta is projected to increase by 9.6 per cent to 10.2 million tonnes, compared with 2023. Durum wheat, in particular, had a good year, growing by 47.3 per cent on a national basis.

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Canola had strong gains in the province of 2.4 per cent to 5.7 million tonnes.

Other crops with notable rises in production include chick peas (+107.7 per cent to 330,000 tonnes), lentils (+54 per cent to 2,774,000 tonnes), and dry field peas (+15.3 per cent to 3,008,000 tonnes).

Crops that have struggled this year include sunflower seeds (-60.3 per cent to 37,000 tonnes), barley (-16.1 per cent to 7,469,000 tonnes), and winter wheat (-10.1 per cent to 3,001,000 tonnes).

The most recent Alberta Crop Report for August 20 shows that much of the province’s farmland has experienced a lack of moisture.

More than one-quarter (26.9 per cent) was rated as having poor surface soil moisture, which is more than the five-year average of 22.6 per cent. Just 32.1 per cent was rated as good-to-excellent, even though that number is typically around 47 per cent.

The full report on model-based principal field crop estimates can be found on the Statistics Canada website.