Stocks of principal field crops, July 31, 2019
Archived Content
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.
Released: 2019-09-06
Wheat
Total stocks of all wheat decreased 4.6% from 2018 to 6.2 million tonnes in 2019. The decline was due to on-farm stocks, which fell 39.8% to 1.9 million tonnes, offsetting a 30.3% increase in commercial stocks.
Together, low global wheat supply resulting from unfavourable growing conditions and a high demand for wheat (excluding durum) drove Canadian exports higher over the past 12 months, and this had the effect of decreasing ending stocks. As of July 31, 2019, exports were up 6.9% to 23.0 million tonnes compared with the same date in the previous year. This increase was led by exports to Indonesia and China, which both imported higher volumes of Canadian wheat.
Canola
Overall canola stocks totalled 3.9 million tonnes as of July 31, 2019, up 55.0% from the same date in 2018. Both on-farm and commercial stocks contributed to the increase, with on-farm stocks up 60.0% to 2.6 million tonnes and commercial stocks up 45.6% to 1.3 million tonnes.
Record supply in 2018/2019, coupled with lower demand, drove canola stocks higher compared with July 31, 2018. Canola exports decreased 12.9% from the previous crop year. Most of the decline was attributable to a drop in exports to China, which fell by approximately 1.0 million tonnes over the past 12 months.
Dry peas and lentils
As of July 31, 2019, total stocks of dry peas were down 40.1% year over year to 388 000 tonnes. Both on-farm (-49.3% to 193 000 tonnes) and commercial (-27.0% to 195 000 tonnes) stocks recorded decreases. The lower stocks for dry peas were largely the result of a 12.9% decline in production to 3.6 million tonnes in 2018/2019.
Stocks of lentils totalled 654 000 tonnes as of July 31, 2019, down 25.1% year over year. The decrease was the result of lower on-farm stocks (-29.7% to 510 000 tonnes), as off-farm deliveries rose 22.5% year over year.
Barley
As of July 31, 2019, barley stocks were at their lowest level on record, down 28.2% from the previous crop year to 893 000 tonnes. The decrease was attributable to lower on-farm stocks (-37.8% to 636 000 tonnes), as off-farm deliveries rose 7.5% year over year to 3.8 million tonnes. The decline in on-farm stocks offset an increase in commercial stocks, up 16.3% to 257 000 tonnes.
The decrease in barley stocks was partly due to a price-driven gain in deliveries. According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, prices for malt barley have risen between 19% and 23%, while feed barley prices have risen approximately 15% from 2017/2018. Higher feed barley prices are likely attributable to an increase in demand from livestock operations in Western Canada, which resulted in higher demand for feed barley. In addition, high international demand led to an increase in barley exports, up 12.0% to 3.2 million tonnes—the highest volume since July 2008.
Oats
Oat stocks were down 46.8% to 414 000 tonnes as of July 31, 2019. The decline was the result of lower on-farm (-51.1% to 299 000 tonnes) and commercial (-30.7% to 115 000 tonnes) stocks.
Note to readers
Data on the stocks of principal field crops held on farms come from the July Farm Survey of about 13,110 Canadian farmers, which was conducted from July 4 to August 5, 2019. This survey also has two questions about 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 stock levels and are available in online data tables 32-10-0013-01 and 32-10-0015-01.
Stocks data are subject to revision during the two years following their initial publication.
Stocks data on corn for grain and soybeans will be available on October 4, 2019, for the reference period as of August 31, 2019, which corresponds to the end of the crop-year cycle for these two crops.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
- Date modified: