In 2022, Canadian farmers are projected to produce more wheat, canola, corn, soybeans and barley than they did in 2021, according to the most recent model-based principal field crop estimates for August 2022 released by Statistics Canada (Stat Can) last Wednesday.
Higher yields largely drove the increase in production as a result of better growing conditions in Western Canada.
Despite potentially reduced yields, conditions across Western Canada are generally more favorable than in 2021, the report notes.
Wheat production
Total wheat production is projected to increase by 56% year-on-year to 34.7 million tonnes in 2022, with the increase largely attributable to higher anticipated yields, which are expected to rise by 42% to 51.3 bushels per acre.
By class, durum (up 101%) and spring wheat (up 60%) are projected to be higher, while winter wheat (down 16%) is expected to decline compared to last year.
Wheat yields in Saskatchewan – the country’s biggest crop-producing region – are expected to rise by 55% to 43.5 bushels per acre in 2022, while the harvested area is projected to rise by 12.5%, resulting in a 74% increase in production to 15.4 million tonnes.
Canola production
Canola production is expected to rise by 39% to 19.1 million tonnes as growing conditions in the Prairies have improved considerably relative to 2021.
Saskatchewan is expected to produce 43.5% more canola in 2022 than in 2021, followed by 40% to 6.1 million tonnes in Alberta and a 25% production increase to 3.1 million tonnes in Manitoba.
Corn, soybeans and barley
Corn for grain production is projected to increase by 6% to 14.9 million tonnes in 2022, with yields anticipated to rise to 164.3 bushels per acre, up 3%.
Soybean production is projected to increase by 4% year-on-year to 6.5 million tonnes in 2022, with yields expected to rise by 5.5% to 46.1 bushels per acre, while the harvested area is anticipated to decrease by 2% to 5.2 million acres.
Higher barley yields this year (up 59% to 68.4 bushels per acre) are projected to more than offset the lower anticipated harvested area (down 15% to 6.3 million acres).
Barley production is expected to rise by 35.5% from last year to 9.4 million tonnes in 2022.
