Stocks of principal field crops

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As of December 31, total stocks of most principal field crops were down compared with the same date a year earlier. Total stocks (including commercial and on-farm inventories) generally fell as a result of reduced crop production in 2010.

Total stocks of canola stood at 8.2 million metric tonnes, down 12.7% or 1.2 million tonnes from December 31, 2009.

Alberta on-farm stocks rose 16.1% to a record 2.7 million tonnes, the result of a record harvest in 2010. On-farm stocks in Manitoba and Saskatchewan were down by 34.7% and 35.6%, respectively.

Commercial stocks of canola rose 63.2% to a record 1.6 million tonnes.

Total stocks of soybeans reached 2.6 million tonnes, up 17.3% from December 31, 2009, the result of record production reported in Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba.

On-farm stocks rose 22.4% in Quebec to a record 300 000 tonnes. In Ontario, on-farm stocks rose 3.1% to 1.0 million tonnes, while in Manitoba they were up 19.8% to a record 200 000 tonnes. A record was also set in commercial positions, with stocks up 31.3% to 1.1 million tonnes.

Total stocks of grain corn were up 12.5% from December 31, 2009 to 9.5 million tonnes. The five-year average is 8.8 million tonnes.

On-farm stocks rose in both Ontario and Quebec. In Ontario, stocks rose by 11.1% to a record 4.5 million tonnes, easily surpassing the previous record of 4.2 million tonnes set in 2008.

Commercially held stocks of corn rose by 12.4% to 2.3 million tonnes.

Note: The December Farm Survey of 10,600 Canadian farmers is a survey of stocks of principal field crops conducted from January 4 to 11, 2011. 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. 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 the October issue of 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 December 31, 2010", Vol. 90, no. 1 (22-002-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

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), Yves Gilbert (613-951-2577; yves.gilbert@statcan.gc.ca), Dave Roeske (613-951-0572; dave.roeske@statcan.gc.ca) or Sheila Young (613-951-8707; sheila.young@statcan.gc.ca), Agriculture Division.