Canada: Planting progress smaller than intended in April – June because of wet weather – report

Canadian farmers planted 14 percent fewer grains than they intended from April through June because of wet weather during seeding, Hamburg-based Oil World said on August, 30.

The area seeded with wheat, corn, barley and oats fell to 13.9 million hectares (34.3 million tons) this year, down from intentions of 16.2 million hectares before planting started, the researcher said in a report. Wheat growers seeded 8.75 million hectares, down 13 percent from intentions, Oil World said. Rain during planting kept farmers from using heavy equipment.

“Excessively wet conditions prevented timely plantings in the spring of 2011,” Oil World said. “The difference between actual plantings and intentions is most pronounced for the four major grains.”

Production of the grains will outpace last year’s crop, also cut by rainfall during harvest, by 1 percent at 45.2 million metric tons, Oil World said. Wheat output will rise 3.9 percent to 24 million tons, barley production by 8.7 percent to 8.27 million tons and oat growers may collect 2.89 million tons, up 26 percent, according to the report.

Wheat futures prices on the Chicago Board of Trade are little changed this year and corn is up 22 percent.

31 August, 2011