Area planted to canola was estimated at a record 22.837 million acres, up 12% from 2016, Statistics Canada said in its principle field crop areas report on June 29. Record high planted area was indicated for Saskatchewan at 12.6 million acres, up 14% from 2016, and for Alberta at 6.9 million acres, up 17%. Manitoba canola area was down 1% at 3.1 million acres.
Total area planted to wheat in 2017 was estimated at 22.361 million acres, down 4% from 2016, including durum at 5.205 million acres, down 16%, spring wheat at 15.791 million acres, up about 3%, and winter wheat planted for harvest this year at 1.365 million acres, down 16%.
“Saskatchewan famers reported the area seeded to all varieties of wheat decreased for a fourth consecutive year, falling 6.9% from 2016 to 11.3 million acres in 2017,” Statistics Canada said. “The overall decline was the result of a decrease in durum wheat acres, which fell 18% to 4.1 million acres.”
Alberta farmers planted 7.1 million acres to all varieties of wheat, up 6% from 2016, due to an increase in spring wheat at 5.9 million acres, up 10%.
Area planted to soybeans was a record 7.282 million acres, up 33% from 2016, with planted area record high in all four major soybean provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
Planted area for canola, durum and soybeans was up from the Statistics Canada April 21 planting intentions forecasts, while spring wheat was down. Planted area for canola, durum and soybeans was above the average of trade expectations while spring wheat area was below the trade estimate.
Corn planted area was estimated at 3.576 million acres, up about 8% from 2016. Total area planted to oats in 2017 was estimated at 3.22 million acres, up 14% from 2016, with area in Saskatchewan up 20% but in Alberta down 4%. Barley planted area was estimated at 5.771 million acres, down 10% from last year, and fall rye at 260,000 acres, down 21%. Flaxseed planted area was estimated at 1.040 million acres, up 11% from 2016.
Area planted to chick peas in 2017 was estimated at 135,000 acres, down 16% from 2016, dry beans at 307,000 acres, up 11%, dry field peas at 4.093 million acres, down 3%, and lentils at 4.405 million acres, down 25%.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will release U.S. planting estimates in its annual Acreage report on June 30.
