Statistics Canada
www.statcan.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Stocks of grain
Archived Content
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.
Total stocks of grains and oilseeds, including commercial and on-farm inventories, remained at levels well above their 10-year averages as of July 31, 2006, according to a survey of Canadian grain farmers and commercial grain holders.
On the Prairies, on-farm stock estimates of wheat excluding durum, barley, flaxseed and canola were all up over 2005. Stocks of durum wheat were at record high levels. Field peas, which hit a record high as of July 31, 2005, held steady at this peak, while oat stocks declined.
| Total stocks of major and special crops at July 31 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crop | 2005 | 2006 | 10-year average | 2005 to 2006 |
| thousands of tonnes | % change | |||
| Total wheat | 7,922 | 9,743 | 7,292 | 23.0 |
| Wheat excl. durum | 5,435 | 6,477 | 5,463 | 19.2 |
| Barley | 3,435 | 3,289 | 2,417 | -4.3 |
| Durum wheat | 2,487 | 3,266 | 1,829 | 31.3 |
| Canola | 1,587 | 2,019 | 1,017 | 27.2 |
| Oats | 974 | 872 | 779 | -10.5 |
| Dry field peas | 595 | 480 | 336 | -19.3 |
| Lentils | 245 | 475 | 124 | 93.9 |
| Flaxseed | 24 | 336 | 156 | 1,300.0 |
| Mustard seed | 194 | 190 | 93 | -2.1 |
| Canary seed | 168 | 190 | 80 | 13.1 |
| Sunflower seed | 18 | 27 | 31 | 50.0 |
Farm stocks of corn in the East fell from July 2005, while stocks of soybeans jumped to a record high, surpassing the previous record set just in 2005.
Total wheat stocks up; durum wheat a record
Total Canadian wheat stocks, which include on-farm stocks and commercial stocks, were estimated at 9.7 million tonnes, an increase of 23.0% or 1.8 million tonnes over July 2005.
On-farm Prairie inventories of wheat excluding durum were up 30.2% from July 2005 to 2.7 million tonnes. Farmers reported increases in Saskatchewan and Alberta to amounts more than double the 10-year average, while a slight decrease was reported in Manitoba.
Note to readersThe July Farm Survey of 17,600 farm operators was conducted by telephone from July 28 to August 6. Farmers were asked to report the amounts of grains, oilseeds and special crops in on-farm storage. Commercial stocks of western grains originate mainly from the Canadian Grain Commission. Commercial stocks of special crops originate from a survey of handlers and agents of special crops. |
Total stocks of durum wheat rose 31.3% to 3.3 million tonnes, easily surpassing the previous record of 2.9 million tonnes set in 2001.
On-farm durum stocks rose in a similar fashion, up 64.2% to 1.7 million tonnes, well ahead of the record set in 1980 of 1.2 million tonnes.
Durum producers in Saskatchewan and Alberta reported they held record amounts of durum. On-farm stocks in Saskatchewan were up 57.0% to 1.4 million tonnes, while Alberta farmers reported an increase of 155,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes.
Feed grains stocks remain above 10-year average
Total stocks of barley on July 31 were off 4.3% to 3.3 million tonnes, but still well above the 10-year average of 2.4 million tonnes.
Prairie on-farm stocks rose by 240,000 tonnes to 2.9 million tonnes. In Manitoba, stocks were off 90,000 tonnes to 260,000 tonnes, while in Alberta they rose 130,000 tonnes to 1.3 million tonnes. In Saskatchewan, stocks rose 18.2% to a record 1.3 million tonnes. The previous record of 1.1 million tonnes was set in 2005.
Total stocks of oats fell 10.5% to 872,000 tonnes. On-farm stocks fell in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but rose slightly in Alberta. This resulted in a 10.3% loss to 695,000 tonnes at the Prairie level, just above the 10-year average.
Canola stocks just shy of a record high
Total stocks of canola were 2.0 million tonnes, up 27.2% from 2005 and not far off the record high of 2.2 million tonnes set in 2000. Increases were reported in commercial stocks and at the Canada farm level, the result of record production in 2005.
Increases in on-farm stocks were reported in Saskatchewan and Alberta, with a small decline in Manitoba.
The largest advance occurred in Saskatchewan, where an increase of 150,000 tonnes pushed the estimate to 610,000 tonnes. The 10-year average is a mere 283,000 tonnes.
Total stocks of flaxseed rebound
Total stocks of flaxseed surged by 312,000 tonnes from the record low of 24,000 set in 2005 to 336,000 tonnes, well above the 10-year average of 156,000 tonnes.
An increase in commercial stocks and in on-farm stocks in Manitoba and Saskatchewan made up the increase, which was a function of strong production in 2005 and stable demand for the product.
In Saskatchewan, where most of Canadian flaxseed is grown, on-farm stocks were up 180,000 tonnes to 195,000 tonnes, eclipsing the old record high of 170,000 tonnes set in 2000.
Dry field pea stocks drift lower
Total stocks of field peas fell 115,000 tonnes to 480,000 tonnes, which was still well above the 10-year average of 336,000 tonnes.
Commercial stocks dropped sharply while on-farm stocks remained high. Prairie on-farm stock levels were unchanged from the 2005 record. Stock estimates in Alberta rose to a new record, while Saskatchewan dry pea volumes remained unchanged from last year's record, and Manitoba stock estimates fell.
Corn for grain stocks slightly lower in Quebec and Ontario; soybeans at record high
On-farm stocks of corn for grain in Quebec fell 5.3% to 900,000 tonnes, down from the record of 950,000 tonnes set in 2005. The 10-year average is 524,000 tonnes.
In Ontario, on-farm corn stocks were also off slightly to 1.2 million tonnes, down 4.0% from the record of 1.3 million tonnes set in 2005. The 10-year average is 753,000 tonnes.
On-farm stocks of soybeans jumped in Ontario and Quebec, setting records in both provinces. Stocks of Ontario soybeans jumped 50.0% to 225,000 tonnes, surpassing the previous record of 150,000 tonnes set in July 2005. Quebec soybean volumes also reached record levels, rising 57.1% to 55,000 tonnes. The previous record of 40,000 tonnes was set in 2001.
Commercial stocks of corn and soybeans will be published in the September Estimate of Production of Principal Field Crops on October 5.
Available on CANSIM: tables 001-0040 to 001-0042.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3401, 3403, 3443, 3464 and 3476.
Supply-disposition tables are available by subscription. (22F0002XFB, $200) and are also available on CANSIM (Tables 001-0041 and 001-0042).
The publication Field Crop Reporting Series: Stocks of Canadian Grain at July 31, 2006, Vol. 85, no. 6 (22-002-XIB, free) is now available from the Publication module of our website. A paper version (22-002-XPB, $17/$95) is also now available.
For further information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact David Burroughs (613-951-5138; dave.burroughs@statcan.gc.ca), Agriculture Division.
