Farmers on track for bumper crop of wheat, other grains

Canada's wheat production has risen 22 per cent from 2012 to a record 33 million tonnes after an unusually good growing season.

Statistics Canada released figures Friday showing strong crop yields in wheat, barley, oats and canola. Only soybean and corn production are down.

The Canadian Wheat Board predicted the bumper crop two weeks ago, saying rain and heat came at the right time for most producers.

• Record crop yields in Prairies pushing grain prices down

The problem is that most of the world experienced the same ideal conditions, meaning world grain prices are falling.

Canola production up 24% in Sask.,Man.

Average yield for wheat was a record 48 bushels per acre, up from 42.6 bushels per acre in 2012, with every province but Quebec reporting higher yields, according to the Statistics Canada report for September.

Production gains range from 15.5 per cent in Manitoba to 26.4 per cent in Ontario. In Quebec, there was a 17.2 per cent increase, but that was a result of a larger harvested area.

Canadian farmers anticipate a 15.9 per cent increase in canola to 16 million tonnes, with production up more than 24 per cent in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The yield per acre has risen close to one-third at 36.9 bushels per acre.

Barley production is forecast to increase 18.1 per cent to 9.2 million tonnes, and production of oats will rise 16 per cent to 3.2 million tonnes.

Soybean production is falling as Ontario farmers switch to other crops and Quebec farms experience lower yields. Across Canada, soybean output will fall 3.9 per cent from a year earlier to 4.8 million tonnes.

The production of corn for grain is anticipated to edge down 0.1 per cent from 2012 to 12.9 million tonnes.