Stocks of principal field crops, December 31, 2020
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Released: 2021-02-05
Production of most principal field crops increased in 2020 from a year earlier. However, higher exports, driven by strong global demand contributed to lower stocks of wheat, canola, soybeans and barley as of December 31, 2020.
Overall, rising grain movements due to increased demand have resulted in lower stocks for field crops. Movements of grain by rail hit record high levels for the first five months of the 2020/2021 crop year as demand for Canadian grains and oilseeds increased. The COVID-19 pandemic decreased demand for petroleum products moved by rail car, allowing grain movements to rise due to increased capacity.
Wheat deliveries rise to record levels
Total stocks of wheat were down 3.8% year over year to 24.8 million tonnes as of December 31. Commercial stocks were down 14.4% to 3.8 million tonnes, largely due to a 28.1% increase in exports to 11.2 million tonnes. On-farm stocks decreased 1.6% to 21.1 million tonnes.
Producer deliveries reached a record high 14.4 million tonnes in 2020, up 15.9% from a year earlier as deliveries of both wheat excluding durum (+14.3%) and durum (+23.3%) increased, pushing on-farm stocks for total wheat down.
Canola stocks fall on low production and high demand
Canola stocks were down 23.7% year over year to 12.1 million tonnes as of December 31. On-farm stocks fell 26.6% to 10.3 million tonnes, the lowest level for this period since 2012. The decline in on-farm stocks was attributable to low beginning stocks on farm (-43.2%) and production for the 2020 crop year (-4.5%), combined with higher deliveries (+14.4%). Commercial stocks declined 1.9% to 1.9 million tonnes.
Strong worldwide demand, partially due to an increase in global vegetable oil consumption, helped push canola exports up 51.5% year over year to a record high 5.2 million tonnes. Exports to China, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates were all up sharply from a year earlier. Industrial use, mainly canola crush, rose 3.8% to 4.4 million tonnes.
Higher production contributes to greater corn for grain stocks
Total stocks of corn for grain rose 3.3% year over year to 11.1 million tonnes as of December 31. Commercial stocks rose 11.8% to 3.0 million tonnes, while on-farm stocks edged up 0.5% to 8.1 million tonnes.
Soybean stocks down despite higher supply
Soybean stocks fell 9.0% year over year to 3.7 million tonnes as of December 31. The decrease in on-farm stocks (-19.9% to 2.1 million tonnes) more than offset the rise in commercial stocks (+11.0% to 1.6 million tonnes).
Strong global demand for soybeans led to a 44.4% increase in exports to 2.9 million tonnes, more than offsetting a 31.1% decrease in domestic use.
Barley stocks lower despite higher production
Stocks of barley decreased 4.6% year over year to 5.7 million tonnes as of December 31. On-farm stocks were down 5.8% to 5.2 million tonnes, while commercial stocks rose 11.6% to 450 600 tonnes.
Deliveries of barley off-farm rose by over one-quarter (+26.5%) to 2.7 million tonnes, the highest volume for this period since 2007, contributing to the decrease in on-farm stocks. Domestic use, largely for feed, rose 5.7% to 4.3 million tonnes. Exports climbed 44.7% to 1.8 million tonnes, mostly destined for China.
Oat domestic use higher
Stocks of oats edged up 0.4% year over year to 2.7 million tonnes as of December 31. On-farm stocks fell 0.2% to 2.4 million tonnes, while commercial stocks rose 5.9% to 304 800 tonnes.
Domestic disappearance rose by 9.6% to 828 600 tonnes, largely due to higher feed use.
Dry pea and lentil exports rise
Total stocks of dry peas were down 3.6% year over year to 2.6 million tonnes as of December 31. On farm stocks fell 8.1% to 2.2 million tonnes, offsetting a 37.9% increase in commercial stocks to 360 300 tonnes.
Total stocks of lentils were down 23.3% to 1.8 million tonnes. On-farm stocks declined 24.5% to 1.7 million tonnes, while commercial stocks fell 8.8% to 164 600 tonnes.
Note to readers
Data on stocks of principal field crops held on farms come from the December Farm Survey of about 8,600 Canadian farmers conducted from December 14, 2020, to January 15, 2021. The 2020 Field Crop Survey – December also asked two questions pertaining to permanent on-farm grain storage capacity and the percentage of grain stored on farms using temporary storage methods. These data are available upon request.
Data on commercial stocks of western major crops originate from the Canadian Grain Commission. Data on commercial stocks of special crops originate from a survey of handlers and agents of special crops.
National supply-disposition tables for the major grains and special crops are published jointly with the current release on stocks levels and are available as online data tables 32-10-0013-01 and 32-10-0015-01.
Stock data are subject to revision during the two years following their initial publication.
Readers are invited to visit the Agriculture and food statistics portal for more data related to agriculture and food published by Statistics Canada.
Contact information
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