Marginal Increase in Special Crop Output

VANCOUVER - Jul 4/08 - SNS -- Agriculture Canada adjusted its supply and demand forecasts for the 2008-09 marketing year to reflect Statistics Canada's seeded area estimates for the year.

As a result, Agriculture Canada reports "total area seeded to pulse and special crops in Canada is expected to rise marginally from 2007-08, as higher areas for dry peas, lentils, and mustard seed are partly offset by lower areas for dry beans, chickpeas, canary and sunflower seed. . . . It is assumed that precipitation will be normal for the growing and harvest periods, and that the abandonment rate and quality will be normal. Trend yields are assumed for both western and eastern Canada.

"Total production in Canada is forecast to increase marginally to 4.7 million metric tons (MT). Total supply is expected to fall marginally as lower carry-in stocks are partially offset by the increase in production. Exports are forecast to decrease marginally due to the lower supply, while domestic use is expected to remain relatively unchanged.

"Carry-out stocks are expected to fall to historically low levels for most crops. Average prices, over all types, grades and markets, are forecast to increase for 2008-09 for all pulse and special crops, with the exception of dry peas. The main factors to watch are growing conditions in Canada, the US, the EU, Australia, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent."

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