Stocks of principal field crops, March 31, 2026
Released: 2026-05-06
As of March 31, 2026, total stocks of wheat, canola, oats and corn were all up, stocks of barley were unchanged, and soybean stocks were down compared with the same period in 2025.
Wheat
Total wheat stocks rose 12.0% year over year to 19.5 million tonnes as of March 31, 2026. On-farm stocks rose 14.1% to 15.2 million tonnes, while commercial stocks increased 5.3% to 4.3 million tonnes.
Off-farm wheat deliveries rose 3.7% to 25.7 million tonnes. Total wheat exports rose 2.7% to 18.9 million tonnes, a record for the period, on continued strong global demand.
Canola
Total stocks of canola rose 27.4% year over year to 10.0 million tonnes as of March 31, 2026, led by record production throughout the 2025 growing season. Both on-farm stocks (+30.1% to 8.5 million tonnes) and commercial stocks (+13.8% to 1.5 million tonnes) increased compared with the same period one year earlier.
Canola exports were down 25.1% to 5.1 million tonnes as of March 31 as a result of a slower export pace earlier in the marketing year, likely because of tariffs from major trading partners that had been in place. Domestic use of canola—largely for crushing—continued to reach new records for the period, rising 6.1% to 8.5 million tonnes as the crushing sector continues to expand to meet demands for renewable energy.
Corn for grain
Total stocks of corn for grain were up 3.5% year over year to 7.5 million tonnes as of March 31, 2026. On-farm stocks edged up 0.8% to 4.9 million tonnes, while commercial stocks rose 9.2% to 2.6 million tonnes.
Soybean
Total soybean stocks fell 45.7% year over year to 1.5 million tonnes as of March 31, 2026. On-farm stocks (-69.4% to 541 000 tonnes) and commercial stocks (-3.3% to 955 000 tonnes) both fell compared with the same period one year earlier.
Lower soybean stocks were driven by a combination of lower total supply (-11.4% to 7.4 million tonnes) and higher exports, up 6.6% to 4.7 million tonnes.
Barley
Total stocks of barley were flat year over year at 3.0 million tonnes as of March 31, 2026. Commercial stocks rose 19.9% to 585 000 tonnes, while on-farm stocks fell 3.9% to 2.4 million tonnes.
Domestic use—largely for feed—increased 16.1% to 5.1 million tonnes while exports were up 47.4% to 2.9 million tonnes as of March 31, the highest level on record for the period.
Oats
Total stocks of oats increased 21.0% year over year to 1.9 million tonnes as of March 31, 2026. On-farm stocks rose 15.4% to 1.5 million tonnes, while commercial stocks increased 47.7% to 409 000 tonnes.
Domestic use rose 45.5% to 973 800 tonnes. Exports of oats fell 13.4% compared with the same period one year earlier to 1.6 million tonnes.
Note to readers
Data for the on-farm stocks component of principal field crops, as of March 31 are modelled using survey estimates and administrative data. This methodology is a continuation of the AgZero initiative which aims to reduce respondent burden while producing high quality estimates using alternative methods.
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, 32-10-0014-01 and 32-10-0015-01.
Stock data are subject to revision during the two years following their initial publication.
An easy-to-print chart, Crop Reporting Survey at a Glance, which provides an overview of our survey cycle, is now available.
The Census of Agriculture is happening in May!
Every five years, farm operators across Canada complete the Census of Agriculture.
Insights from the 2026 Census will provide crucial information about the agriculture sector in Canada to help make business decisions.
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
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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