Canadian potato production

Canadian farmers appear to have reduced their area planted in potatoes this year, as a result of substantial declines in two western provinces, according to preliminary survey data.

Potato producers in both Manitoba and Alberta, which together account for about a third of national potato area, have cut their plantings. Area planted in Manitoba has declined 4.7% to about 82,000 acres (33 200 hectares), while in Alberta, it is down 2.7% to 54,500 acres (22 100 hectares).

However, in Eastern Canada, the situation is reversed. Farmers in Prince Edward Island, the nation's biggest potato producer, increased their area by 1.6% to 97,000 acres (39,300 hectares).

Acreage also increased in New Brunswick (+1.8%) and Ontario (+1.9%).

As a result, total acreage nationwide has declined by about 1% to 351,100 acres (142 100 hectares). This total excludes preliminary acreage data for Quebec. Updates to Quebec's list of producers resulted in the addition of some farm operators to the province's 2006 survey.

Consequently, it is not possible at this point to directly compare estimates for the entire 2006 potato crop with data for previous years. This is because it cannot be determined how much of the increase in acreage reported by Quebec producers this year is due to an actual increase in plantings, or the increase in producers.

Available on CANSIM: table 001-0014.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3401, 3407, 3446 and 3465.

The publication Canadian Potato Production, Vol. 4, no. 1 (22-008-XIE, free) is now available free on our website. From the Our Products and Services page, under Browse our free internet publications choose Agriculture.

To obtain additional information, call our toll free number (1-800-465-1991). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Barbara McLaughlin (902-893-7251; barbara.mclaughlin@statcan.gc.ca), Agriculture Division.