Canola (rapeseed, with the bad flavors missing) has a much better yield per acre than soy, so it's good to see it increasing (and helping farmers along the way). Article.
Boost in biodiesel caused seeding surge
Fri Aug 24 2007
By Larry Kusch
MANITOBA is poised to harvest a record canola crop this year, and
Prairie production of the oilseed is expected to rise slightly from
last year's total, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
Canola production across the West is projected to increase 190,000
tonnes to 9.2 million tonnes as farmers harvest a record 14.2 million
acres of the crop. The agency produced the forecast after surveying
17,300 Canadian farmers from July 27 to Aug. 5, including 3,500 in
Manitoba.
Manitoba growers this year are projected to harvest two million
tonnes of canola -- besting the record of 1.8 million set just last
year.
This spring, Manitoba growers boosted their canola acreage 13 per cent
in response to favourable price outlooks based in part on a burgeoning
biodiesel industry.
Meanwhile, Prairie farmers are expected to harvest 15.1 million
tonnes of wheat (not including durum), a 20.6 per cent drop from 2006,
StatsCan said, as spring plantings fell.
'Healthy payday'
But a Canadian Wheat Board report Thursday shows that those who seeded lots of wheat this year will enjoy a healthy payday.
The CWB boosted its projected returns for No. 1 red spring wheat
(12.5 per cent protein) to $253 a tonne ($6.89 a bushel) from $232 a
tonne in July. That's the highest it's been in a dozen years.
The wheat board also increased its expected returns for durum
to $319 a tonne (No. 1, 12.5 per cent protein) compared with $272 in
July; boosted its projections for feed barley to $217, up from $206 a
tonne; and hiked its target for malting barley, now at a range of $230
to $262 a tonne, compared with $219 to $249 a few weeks ago.
Prairie barley production is estimated at 11.1 million tonnes,
up 2.3 million tonnes from last year and well above the five-year
average of 9.7 million tonnes.
Oats production on the Prairies should rise 34.7 per cent to 4.6
million tonnes, due to a 25 per cent boost in acreage and increased
yields.
Prairie durum production is expected to rise 6.1 per cent to 3.5 million tonnes.
