Canadian Potato Harvest Estimate Trimmed

OTTAWA - Jan 19/07 - SNS -- Final production number for Canada's 2006 potato harvest ended up lower than initially expected, but still well above last year, according to the latest data available from Statistics Canada.

Canada's field potato harvest jumped an estimated 13.8% to 4.995 million metric tons (MT), according to Statistics Canada, though still 5.4% below the record crop of 5.28 million MT produced in 2003.

In releasing its updated estimates, Statistics Canada said Manitoba showed the greatest change. A small decrease in area planted and harvested, plus a 4% decrease in the yield, resulted in Manitoba's production now set at 21,735,000 cwt (100 pound units) or 985,900 MT.

Production was revised up in three provinces. In Saskatchewan, both area and yield were revised up so production now amounts to 2,484,000 cwt or 112,674 MT, up 8%. In Quebec and Prince Edward Island, production was revised upward by less than 1%.

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