Stocks of principal field crops

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As of December 31, total stocks of most principal field crops were down compared with the same date a year earlier. Total stocks (including commercial and on-farm inventories) generally fell, as a result of reduced crop production in 2009.

Total stocks of canola stood at 8.8 million metric tonnes, down 4.3% or 389 000 tonnes from December 31, 2008. Canola supplies were down as a result of a 6.5% production decline in 2009.

Commercial stocks rose 26.8% to 1.0 million tonnes, while Prairie on-farm stocks were down by 7.0% to 7.8 million tonnes.

Total stocks of soybeans reached 2.2 millions tonnes, up 9.2% from December 31, 2008, the result of an increase in production in Ontario in 2009. The five-year average is 2.2 million tonnes.

In Ontario, on-farm stocks rose 21.9% to 975 000 tonnes, while Quebec on-farm stocks decreased 14.6% to 205 000 tonnes.

Total stocks of grain corn were down 8.3% from December 31, 2008, to 8.6 million tonnes, the result of less production in 2009. The five-year average is 8.7 million tonnes.

On-farm stocks fell in both Ontario and Quebec. Commercial stocks of grain corn (-2.6%) also declined.

Note: The December farm survey of 11,400 Canadian farmers is a survey of stocks of principal field crops conducted from January 4 to 11, 2010. Farmers were asked to report the amounts of grain, oilseeds and special crops in on-farm storage. Data on commercial stocks of western major crops originate from the Canadian Grain Commission. Commercial stocks of corn and soybeans are estimated by a Statistics Canada sample of grain elevators in Eastern Canada. 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 included in this report and will be included in future production and stock reports. Methodology details are published annually in the October issue of Cereals and Oilseeds Review (22-007-X, free).

Available on CANSIM: tables 001-0004, 001-0010, 001-0017 to 001-0020 and 001-0040 to 001-0043.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3401, 3403, 3443, 3464 and 3476.

The publication Field Crop Reporting Series: Stocks of Principal Field Crops at December 31, 2009, Vol. 89, no. 1 (22-002-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

For further information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact David Burroughs (613-951-5138; dave.burroughs@statcan.gc.ca) Karen Gray (204-983-2856; karen.gray@statcan.gc.ca), or Dave Roeske (613-951-0572; dave.roeske@statcan.gc.ca), Agriculture Division.