StatsCan says Canadian wheat production is up this year, canola is down, as expected

Canadian wheat production is up this year, but canola is down from both the October estimate and 2023 totals.

The Statistics Canada Production of Principal Field Crops Report says overall yields were projected as higher this year compared to last year, and although we had a promising start to the growing season, prairie producers were hit with a period of intense, dry heat in July and August that caused some issues, mainly for canola.

Canola production decreased 7 per cent nationally to 17.8 million tonnes. This was driven by lower yields, which also decreased 7 per cent to 36 bushels per acre.

In Saskatchewan, production fell by 5.1 per cent to 9.8 million tonnes. Yields declined 3 per cent to 35.9 bushels per acre this year.

Moving on to wheat, Stats Canada estimates that total wheat production rose 6.1 per cent year over year to 35 million tonnes. The increase was driven by durum, which jumped up by 43.6 per cent to 5.9 million tonnes this year. Average durum yields also climbed 32.8 per cent to 34.0 bushels per acre.

Saskatchewan producer reported producing 16.5 million tonnes of wheat, an uptick of 12.2 per cent year over year. Average yields increased 11.1 per cent to 43.0 bushels per acre.

In 2024, StatsCan says barley production fell 8.6 per cent to 8.1 million tonnes. This was partially offset by a 3.3 per cent increase in average yields to 63.2 bushels per acre. On a provincial level, barley yield was up 13.1 per cent to 64.9 bushels an acre, however, production was down 5.9 per cent to 3 million tonnes.

Nationally, total oat production rose by 27 per cent to reach 3.4 million tonnes, as average yields increased by 5.7per cent to 88.7 bushels per acre. Oat production rose by 42.1 per cent in Saskatchewan to 1.5 million tonnes. The average yield rose 3.7 per cent to 86.5 bushels per acre.

Moving to the pulses, these are all Saskatchewan-only numbers. Average lentil yields rose 13.5 per cent to 1,285 pounds per acre, and production was up 30.8 per cent to 2.1 million tonnes.

Dry field pea production also shot up 20.8 per cent, with the average yield increasing by 9.4 per cent to 32.6 bushels per acre.

Finally, to the smaller crops: total flaxseed production slumped to just over 196 thousand tonnes, a decrease of 12.4 per cent. However, the average yield was reported to have increased 6.2 per cent to 18.7 bushels per acre.

And when it comes to mustard seed, production rose by 4.5 per cent to 136 thousand tonnes, along with the yield, which rose 17.1 per cent to 740 pounds per acre.