Stocks of principal field crops, December 31, 2021
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Released: 2022-02-08
As of December 31, 2021, total stocks of corn for grain were up, compared with one year earlier. By contrast, total stocks of wheat, canola, barley, oats, dry peas, lentils and soybeans were all down, compared with the same date in 2020. Production of most principal field crops decreased from a year earlier because of poor growing conditions in Western Canada contributing to the decline in total stocks.
For the period ending December 31, 2021, grain movements decreased in comparison with the same period one year earlier, caused in part by lower supply. In addition, excessive rainfall in British Columbia brought on washouts and landslides, which impacted rail routes into Vancouver in November, affecting the movement of grain in Western Canada.
Lower production decreases wheat stocks
As of December 31, total stocks of wheat were down 38.0% year over year to 15.6 million tonnes. Commercial stocks rose 14.2% to 4.3 million tonnes but were offset by on-farm stocks, which fell 47.2% to 11.2 million tonnes. Lower on-farm stocks were mainly driven by lower production in 2021, which fell because of poor yields caused by drought conditions in the Prairie provinces.
Producer deliveries decreased by 26.4% to 10.7 million tonnes from a year earlier, as deliveries of wheat excluding durum (-22.0%) and durum (-45.0%) fell.
Canola stocks fall on low supply
As of December 31, canola stocks were down 43.1% year over year to 7.6 million tonnes, their lowest level since 2007. On-farm stocks fell 50.8% to 5.6 million tonnes, offsetting commercial stocks, which rose 4.3% to 1.9 million tonnes. The decline in on-farm stocks was largely attributable to low total supply (-37.5%).
Despite strong international demand, exports fell 43.1% compared with one year earlier. Exports to several trading partners were down from a year earlier. Industrial use, mainly canola crush, fell 13.0% to 3.8 million tonnes.
Corn for grain stocks higher as production and imports rise
Total stocks of corn for grain rose 4.1% year over year to 11.5 million tonnes as of December 31. Commercial stocks rose 34.1% to 4.0 million tonnes, while on-farm stocks decreased by 6.9% to 7.5 million tonnes.
Imports of corn for grain more than tripled, climbing 227.1% to a record 1.7 million tonnes, compared with the same period one year earlier. This was likely caused by high demand for animal feed in Western Canada, where drought conditions reduced the availability of other feed grains, such as barley.
Soybean stocks down on lower opening stocks
Soybean stocks fell 6.4% to 3.3 million tonnes as of December 31, compared with the same period one year earlier. An increase in on-farm stocks (+4.9% to 2.0 million tonnes) was offset by a decrease in commercial stocks (-19.3% to 1.3 million tonnes).
Barley exports rise despite lower supply
As of December 31, stocks of barley decreased by 43.6% year over year to 3.1 million tonnes. On-farm stocks were down 45.4% to 2.8 million tonnes, while commercial stocks fell 23.3% to 345 500 tonnes.
Deliveries of barley off-farm edged down 1.1% to 2.6 million tonnes. Domestic use—largely for feed—fell 39.1% to 2.7 million tonnes, while exports rose 6.6% to 1.9 million tonnes, mostly destined for China.
Domestic use of oats declines
Stocks of oats fell 39.1% year over year to 1.7 million tonnes as of December 31. On-farm stocks fell 43.8% to 1.4 million tonnes, while commercial stocks decreased by 2.3% to 297 600 tonnes.
Domestic disappearance fell by 42.7% to 447 100 tonnes, largely because of lower feed use caused by lower supply, compared with a year earlier.
Dry pea and lentil stocks fall
Total stocks of dry peas were down 42.6% year over year to 1.6 million tonnes as of December 31. On-farm stocks fell 46.7% to 1.3 million tonnes, while commercial stocks fell 13.9% to 309 500 tonnes.
Total stocks of lentils were down by 36.2% to 1.2 million tonnes because of lower on-farm stocks, which declined by 38.5% to 1.0 million tonnes. Commercial stocks fell 13.6% to 146 200 tonnes.
Note to readers
Data on stocks of principal field crops held on farms come from the 2021 Field Crop Survey – December, conducted on 8,600 Canadian farmers from December 14, 2021, to January 18, 2022. The survey also contains two questions pertaining to permanent on-farm grain storage capacity and the quantity 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, 32-10-0014 and 32-10-0015-01.
Stocks 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 on agriculture and food published by Statistics Canada.
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; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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