Principal field crop areas, June 2013
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Released: 2013-06-25
As of June 10, 2013, farmers had either planted, or intended to plant, larger areas of spring wheat, durum wheat and oats than in 2012, but fewer acres of canola and barley. Farmers also reported seeding record areas of corn and soybeans.
At the time of the survey, farmers reported that seeding was well underway and conditions were relatively normal compared with past years. However, some areas were not yet seeded because of excess moisture.
Wheat
At the national level, total wheat area increased 9.3% from 2012 to 25.9 million acres in 2013. Spring wheat acreage accounted for most of the advance, up 12.6% to 19.1 million acres. Durum wheat increased 4.3% to 4.9 million acres.
In Saskatchewan, spring wheat acreage rose 14.4% to 9.7 million acres, while durum wheat was up 4.0% to 4.3 million acres. Spring wheat area also increased in Manitoba (+19.3% to 2.9 million acres) and Alberta (+7.3% to 6.2 million acres).
Canola
Producers reported 19.7 million acres seeded in canola, down 8.3% from 2012. This would represent the first decrease in canola acres seeded at the national level since 2006.
Saskatchewan was the largest contributor to the national decline, with canola acreage falling 8.0% to 10.3 million acres. Seeding was also down in Alberta (-6.5% to 6.1 million acres) and Manitoba (-12.2% to 3.1 million acres) compared with 2012.
Barley and oats
In line with results from the March 2013 Farm Survey on seeding intentions, Canadian farmers reported seeding fewer acres of barley, down 3.1% from 2012 to 7.2 million acres.
At the same time, land seeded to oats increased 18.1% to 3.4 million acres in 2013.
Corn for grain
Nationally, farmers reported seeding a record corn for grain area of 3.6 million acres, up 2.9% from 2012.
Quebec farmers planted 1.0 million acres of corn for grain, up 6.6% from 2012. However, the largest percentage increase came in Manitoba, where farmers reported a record corn for grain area of 365,000 acres, up 21.7% from 2012.
In Ontario, corn for grain seeded declined 1.6% to 2.2 million acres.
Soybeans
At the national level, soybean area rose 10.5% from 2012 to a record 4.6 million acres in 2013. This advance was mainly the result of a higher soybean area in Manitoba (+35.6%), where farmers reported seeding a record 1.1 million acres. This was the sixth consecutive increase in soybean area in Manitoba.
Soybean area also rose in Quebec, up 3.0% or 21,000 acres to 712,900 acres.
In Ontario, farmers reported a 1.5% decrease to 2.6 million acres.
Note to readers
The June Farm Survey, which collects information on crop seeded areas in Canada, was conducted between May 27 and June 10, 2013, with approximately 25,000 farmers. They were asked to report their seeded areas of grain, oilseeds and special crops.
June seeded acres are subject to updates from subsequent surveys during the current crop year. Data on final acreages for 2013 will be released on December 4, 2013 and may be subject to revision for two years.
The July 31 estimates of production of principal field crops will be released on August 21.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@canada.ca).
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