Statistics Canada confirms sharply reduced crop prospects

As expected, Statistics Canada (StatsCan) confirmed sharply reduced crop prospects this season due to heat and drought this summer in western production regions. Its July Estimates Production of Principal Field Crops report shows durum wheat crop prospects down 39.2% from the 2020 season at nearly 4.00 MMT, with spring wheat crop prospects down 37.7% at 16.10 MMT.

Its 2021 canola crop is expected to drop 24.3% from year-ago levels to 14.75 MMT, with production hitting the lowest level since 2012. This comes at a time when canola processing in Canada is ramping up. StatsCan’s all wheat and canola production estimates came in a bit higher than analysts surveyed by Reuters expected, on average.

StatsCan notes that while dry conditions may lead to an increase in abandoned acres, coarse resolution-based modelling relies on historical averages for harvested area. Its final harvested area estimates will be published Dec. 3, 2021.