Stocks of principal field crops

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At the end of the crop year on July 31, total stocks of principal field crops such as canola and durum wheat rose, while stocks of oats were down, compared with the same date in 2009.

Total stocks of canola stood at 2.1 million metric tonnes, just under the record of 2.2 million metric tonnes set in 2000. Total stocks were up 27.8% or 462 000 metric tonnes from July 31, 2009. Total on-farm stocks rose 12.8% to 1.1 million metric tonnes, and commercial stocks rose 49.1% to 1.0 million metric tonnes.

Total stocks of durum wheat rose 42.3% to 2.7 million metric tonnes. Commercial stocks fell by 39.4% to 708 000 metric tonnes. On-farm stocks increased by 172.1% from July 31, 2009, to 2.0 million metric tonnes. Record stock levels were reported in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Total stocks of oats fell 23.4% to 1.2 million metric tonnes, down 357 000 metric tonnes from July 31, 2009. On-farm stock levels were down in all of the Prairie provinces. Stocks in commercial positions rose 15.7% to 265 000 metric tonnes.

Note: The July farm survey of 14,400 Canadian farmers is a survey of stocks of principal field crops conducted from July 26 to August 3, 2010. Farmers were asked to report the amounts of grain, oilseeds and special crops in on-farm storage. Data on commercial stocks of western major crops originate from the Canadian Grain Commission.

Commercial stocks of corn and soybeans are estimated by a Statistics Canada sample of grain elevators in Eastern Canada, and will be released on October 4 in the publication Field Crop Reporting Series: "September estimate of production of principal field crops." Data on commercial stocks of special crops originate from a survey of handlers and agents of special crops.

National supply-disposition tables for the major grains and special crops are included in this report and will be included in future production and stock reports. Methodology details are published annually in Cereals and Oilseeds Review (22-007-X, free).

Available on CANSIM: tables 001-0004, 001-0010, 001-0017 to 001-0020 and 001-0040 to 001-0043.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3401, 3403, 3443, 3464 and 3476.

The publication Field Crop Reporting Series: "Stocks of Principal Field Crops at July 31, 2010", Vol. 89, no. 6 (22-002-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

Production of principal field crops data for September will be released on October 4.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Yves Gilbert (613-951-2577; yves.gilbert@statcan.gc.ca) or Faye Price (204-983-2856; faye.price@statcan.gc.ca), Agriculture Division.