AgCanada Consumes Ending Stocks Data

VANCOUVER - Sep 19/08 - SNS -- Agriculture Canada adjusted its supply and demand outlooks for the coming marketing year to take into account the July 31 ending stocks data for major specialty crops.

It now estimates the total supply of pulse and special crops in Canada will rise slightly in 2008-09 to 5.7 million metric tons (MT), as higher supplies for dry peas and lentils are partly offset by lower supplies for dry beans, chickpeas, and canary seed.

"Harvest progress is behind 2007-08," Agriculture Canada said, "with the dry pea and lentil harvests approaching completion. Harvest is also underway for chickpeas, mustard and canary seed. The dry bean harvest is expected to start in the next two weeks and the sunflower seed harvest is expected to begin in late September.

"Quality is expected to be normal, assuming normal weather conditions during the remainder of the harvest period. The risk of frost damage is generally low for unharvested fields due to the advanced stage of development."

Total exports are forecast to rise marginally to 3.9 million MT. Carry-out stocks are expected to rise, but remain historically low for most crops. Average prices, over all types, grades and markets, are forecast to remain similar to or increase from 2007-08 for all pulse and special crops, with the exception of dry peas. The other main factors to watch are crop conditions in the US, the EU, Australia, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.

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