World Buckwheat Crops Decline

WINNIPEG - Dec 18/07 - SNS -- World buckwheat production is estimated at 2.25 million metric tons (MT) this year, down from 2.363 million last year, but ahead of the 2.078 million grown in 2005, according to a recent report by Agriculture Canada pulse and special crop market analyst Stan Skrypetz.

China and Russia remain the most important producers in the world growing 850,000 and 800,000 MT respectively, compared to 893,000 and 866,000 last year Skrypetz wrote in the latest Bi-weekly Bulletin. It was released by the Market Analysis Division, Research and Analysis Directorate, Strategic Policy Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Winnipeg.

"World buckwheat production has been variable, but trending downwards during the past 10 years," Skrypetz noted. "Among the top producers, production has fallen sharply in China, while it increased in Russia. Production in Ukraine and France has been trending downwards. . .

"Canadian production and supply decreased in 2007-08 from 2006-07 because of a lower seeded area, resulting in lower exports and domestic use. The seeded area decreased because prices for many alternative crops rose sharply, whereas prices for buckwheat rose only slightly making buckwheat a less attractive crop to produce. Carry-out stocks are expected to be negligible.

"The average price, over all grades and markets, is forecast to increase because of the lower supply. For 2008-09, prices of buckwheat need to increase significantly in order to maintain or increase the seeded area, as prices of many alternative crops have increased much more significantly than for buckwheat."

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