Stocks of principal field crops, March 31, 2024
Released: 2024-05-07
As of March 31, 2024, total stocks of wheat, oats, corn and soybeans were all down, while stocks of canola and barley increased, compared with the same period in 2023.
Wheat
Total wheat stocks were down 15.4% year over year to 11.8 million tonnes as of March 31, 2024. On farm stocks fell 15.9% to 8.4 million tonnes, while commercial stocks decreased 14.2% to 3.4 million tonnes.
Off-farm wheat deliveries fell 3.6% to 23.2 million tonnes, while exports fell 4.8% to 16.8 million tonnes. Despite the decrease from the same period one year earlier, both remained well above previous five-year averages.
Canola
Stocks of canola were up 17.5% year over year to 8.3 million tonnes as of March 31, 2024. The gain was attributable to a 16.3% increase in on-farm stocks to 6.7 million tonnes and a 22.7% rise in commercial stocks to 1.6 million tonnes.
Canola exports for this period were down 36.0% to 3.7 million tonnes, well below the five-year average. The decrease in canola exports was likely attributable to high global supplies of soybeans and palm oil. Conversely, domestic use of canola, largely for crushing, reached 8.1 million tonnes (+10.8%), surpassing the previous record for the period set in 2020. The increase is likely attributable to expansion of the sector to meet demands for renewable energy.
Corn for grain
Total stocks of corn for grain were down 8.9% year over year to 8.3 million tonnes as of March 31, 2024. On-farm stocks decreased 6.9% to 5.3 million tonnes, while commercial stocks fell 12.3% to 3.0 million tonnes compared with the same date in 2023.
Imports of corn for grain rose 62.4% to 1.8 million tonnes as of March 31, 2024, compared with the same date in 2023, likely because of increased demand for corn for grain as animal feed in Western Canada.
Soybeans
Soybean stocks edged down 0.9% year over year to 2.0 million tonnes as of March 31, 2024. Both on-farm stocks (-0.9% to 1.2 million tonnes) and commercial stocks (-0.9% to 893 000 tonnes) decreased compared with the same period one year earlier.
Barley
Barley stocks increased 10.5% year over year to 3.1 million tonnes as of March 31, 2024. Commercial stocks fell 19.5% to 450 000 tonnes but were offset by on-farm stocks, which rose 18.0% to 2.6 million tonnes.
Domestic use—largely for feed—decreased 2.3% to 4.8 million tonnes, as cattle producers in Western Canada likely opted to feed more corn. Exports of barley also decreased, falling 37.2% compared with the same period in 2023 to 1.8 million tonnes.
Oats
Stocks of oats decreased by 50.9% year over year to 1.3 million tonnes as of March 31, 2024. This decrease was largely caused by low production during the 2023 growing season. On-farm stocks dropped 57.9% to 954 000 tonnes, while commercial stocks fell 7.9% to 339 000 tonnes.
Both domestic use (-12.0% to 1.0 million tonnes) and exports (-9.8% to 1.6 million tonnes) of oats decreased compared with the same period one year earlier.
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Note to readers
Beginning in 2023, data for the on-farm stocks component of principal field crops, as of March 31, are modelled using survey estimates and administrative data. This new methodology is a continuation of the AgZero initiative which aims to reduce respondent burden while producing high quality estimates using alternative 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.
National supply-disposition tables for the major grains and special crops are published jointly with the current release on stock levels and are available in online data tables 32-10-0013-01, 32-10-0014-01 and 32-10-0015-01.
Stock data are subject to revision during the two years following their initial publication.
An easy-to-print chart, Crop Reporting Survey at a Glance, which provides an overview of our survey cycle, is now available.
For the latest information on the Census of Agriculture, visit the Census of Agriculture portal.
For more information on agriculture and food, visit the Agriculture and Food Statistics portal.
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; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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