By Alice McFarlane

More wheat, less canola grown in 2024

Dec 6, 2024 | 10:55 AM

Canadian farmers reported growing more wheat, oats, soybeans, dry peas and lentils, but less canola, corn for grain and barley in 2024, according to the Statistics Canada production of principal field crops report.

In general, yields were higher this year compared with 2023. However, Western Canadian farmers continued to face issues related to dry conditions.

The Prairies had a promising start to the 2024 growing season. Much of the region received timely precipitation during seeding, although cool conditions delayed crop development in some areas. A lack of rain as the summer progressed, coupled with hot weather, resulted in lower yields in some areas compared with 2023.

Good field conditions throughout fall 2024 gave operators an opportunity to complete harvest ahead of schedule, with most crops being off the field before data collection for the November Field Crop Survey.

Above-average rainfall in Ontario and western Quebec, combined with summer heat, resulted in higher yields in 2024.

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Wheat

Total wheat production rose 6.1 per cent year over year to 35.0 million tonnes in 2024. The increase was driven by durum wheat, on higher harvested area of plus 8.0 per cent and higher yields.

Spring wheat production rose 2.2 per cent to 26.1 million tonnes in 2024, with higher yields offsetting lower harvested area.

At the provincial level, Saskatchewan wheat production rose 12.2 per cent to 16.5 million tonnes in 2024. Yields increased 11.1 per cent to 43.0 bushels per acre, while harvested area rose 1.1 per cent.

In Alberta, higher wheat yields of 47.9 bushels per acre, combined with lower harvested area resulted in a 6.4 per cent increase in wheat production to 9.9 million tonnes.

Wheat production in Manitoba edged up 0.7% to 5.5 million tonnes, with higher yields offsetting the lower harvested area.

Canola

Canola production fell on both lower harvested area and yield. Production of the oilseed crop decreased 7.0 per cent nationally to 17.8 million tonnes, driven by lower yields and harvested area. Lower yields were likely the result of hot and dry conditions in parts of Western Canada in July and August.

Canola yields in Saskatchewan declined 3.0 per cent to 35.9 bushels per acre, while harvested area fell 2.2 per cent to 12.0 million acres. Production dropped 5.1 per cent to 9.8 million tonnes.

In Alberta, canola production fell 8.5 per cent to 5.1 million tonnes on lower yields while harvested area rose 0.6 per cent.

Despite higher harvested area farmers in Manitoba reported producing less canola in 2024. Production fell 11.1 per cent to 2.8 million tonnes on lower yields, possibly because of challenging conditions early in the growing season.

Corn

Nationally, total corn for grain production fell 0.5 per cent to 15.3 million tonnes. Harvested area fell 4.6 per cent to 3.6 million acres.

Ontario farmers, who grow almost two-thirds of Canada’s corn, reported having lower production in 2024, down 3.5 per cent. Yields increased 1.7 per cent to a record high of 180.0 bushels per acre as a result of good growing conditions.

Corn for grain production in Quebec rose 7.9 per cent from 2023 to 3.6 million tonnes in 2024. While harvested area fell 1.4 per cent.

Manitoba farmers reported growing 1.0 per cent less corn for grain, at 1.8 million tonnes, because of lower harvested area.

Soybean

Soybean production increased 8.4 per cent nationally to 7.6 million tonnes. The increase in production was the result of higher yields, which rose 7.0 per cent while harvested area increased 1.3 per cent. acres.

In Ontario, growers reported soybean production rising 7.9 per cent year over year to 4.4 million tonnes in 2024. The harvested area increased 7.0 per cent, while yields were up 0.8 per cent.

In Manitoba, harvested area fell 10.9 per cent to 1.4 million acres this year. Yields were up by over one-fifth to 44.0 bushels per acre, thanks to good growing conditions later in the season, resulting in an 8.3 per cent increase in production.

Barley and oats

Barley production fell 8.6 per cent to 8.1 million tonnes because of lower harvested area. The decrease in harvested area was partially offset by a 3.3 per cent increase in yields to 63.2 bushels per acre nationally.

Total oat production increased 27.0 per cent to 3.4 million tonnes, as both harvested area and yields increased in this last growing season.

The November 2024 Field Crop Survey about crop production is sent to roughly 27,200 Canadian farms and was conducted from Oct. 4 to Nov. 7. Farmers were asked to report their estimated seeded and harvested areas, yields and production of grains, oilseeds and special crops. This survey collected data from every province.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @farmnewsNOW