Stocks of principal field crops, March 31, 2016
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Released: 2016-05-06
13.8 million tonnes
March 2016
-23.8% 
(year-over-year change)
7.5 million tonnes
March 2016
-10.1%
(year-over-year change)
3.8 million tonnes
March 2016
12.1% 
(year-over-year change)
7.8 million tonnes
March 2016
23.4%
(year-over-year change)
As of March 31, total stocks of wheat, canola and soybeans were lower compared with the same date in 2015. Meanwhile, total stocks of corn for grain, barley and oats increased year over year.
Wheat
Wheat stocks totalled 13.8 million tonnes as of March 31, down 23.8% from the same day a year earlier. This decrease resulted from a lower stock level on farms, down 28.4% to 9.8 million tonnes, and a 9.4% decline in commercial stocks to 4.0 million tonnes. Wheat stocks held on farms accounted for 71.0% of total wheat stocks. Farm stock levels in Saskatchewan (-30.7%) and Alberta (-30.9%) recorded similar year-over-year declines.
Canola
As of March 31, total canola stocks were down 10.1% from the same day a year earlier to 7.5 million tonnes. This decrease resulted from a 12.9% decline in farm stocks to 5.9 million tonnes. Stocks held on farms in Saskatchewan were down 16.5% to 2.8 million tonnes, while farm stocks in Alberta fell 18.9% to 2.0 million tonnes. However, commercial stocks rose 2.1% to a new high of 1.6 million tonnes.
Corn for grain
A larger crop of corn for grain in 2015 pushed up total stocks by 23.4% as of March 31 to 7.8 million tonnes. The overall rise resulted from an increase in farm stocks, up 23.5% to 5.8 million tonnes, and a gain in commercial stocks, up 23.2% to 2.0 million tonnes. Farm stocks in Quebec matched the 2005 record high of 2.0 million tonnes.
Soybean
Soybean stocks totalled 1.8 million tonnes as of March 31, down 15.2% from the 2015 record high of 2.1 million tonnes, despite a 3.1% increase in soybean production in 2015. Farm stocks decreased 12.4% from the same day a year earlier to 983 000 tonnes, and commercial stocks were down 18.4% to 780 300 tonnes.
Barley and oats
Total barley stocks increased 12.1% to 3.8 million tonnes as of March 31, reflecting a 15.5% gain in production in 2015. Farm stocks grew 13.3% compared with the same day a year earlier to 3.5 million tonnes. The commercial stock level remained relatively stable at 303 200 tonnes (-0.3%).
Following a 15.1% rise in oat production in 2015, total oat stocks increased 9.3% to 1.8 million tonnes compared with March 31, 2015. Both farm stocks (+5.8%) and commercial stocks (+37.2%) were up from the same day last year.
Note to readers
The March Farm Survey of 11,500 Canadian farms is a survey of stocks of principal field crops conducted from March 16 to 31, 2016. Farmers were asked to report the amounts of grain, oilseeds and special crops in on-farm storage. The July and December Farm Surveys also have two questions pertaining to permanent on-farm storage capacity and the percentage of grain stored on farm using temporary storage methods.
Data on commercial stocks of western major crops originate from the Canadian Grain Commission. Data on commercial stocks of special crops originate from a survey of handlers and agents of special crops. Data on commercial stocks of corn and soybeans are based on data from Statistics Canada's survey of grain elevators in Eastern Canada.
National supply-disposition data for the major grains and special crops are published jointly with the current release on stock levels and are available in CANSIM tables 001-0041 to 001-0043.
Stocks data are subject to revision during the two years following their initial publication.
Release calendar: The dates for upcoming releases from the Field Crop Reporting Series are available online.
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; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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