Few Surprises in StatsCan Final

VANCOUVER - Dec 6/07 - SNS -- There were no major surprises in Statistics Canada's final crop production estimates for 2007, with the reduction in total field pea output and other tweaks to earlier estimates adding weight to market sentiment about next summer's prospective ending stocks.

Total specialty crop production came in at 4.53 million metric tons (MT), up 421,100 MT from last year; but well below the record 5.34 million MT produced in 2005. Year over year declines were registered by dry edible beans, sunflower and buckwheat; while lentils, field peas, chickpeas, canary and mustard seed were up over last year.

The estimates were based on computer assisted telephone interviews of 31,500 Canadian farmers between October 26 and November 19. By the time the survey got underway the harvest was essentially complete for all crops except sunflower.

Statistics Canada also provided production estimates for fababeans, pegging them at 10,900 MT in Manitoba. It said Manitoba farmers grew 200 MT of borage; while triticale growers produced 29,200 MT in Saskatchewan and 17,800 MT in Alberta. No estimates were provided for caraway, coriander or other minor crops.

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