Normal Quality Forecast This Year

VANCOUVER - Oct 24/08 -SNS -- Agriculture Canada is looking for this year's specialty crop harvcest in wweestern Canada to end up around 5.3 million metric tons (MT).

Total supply is forecast to increase by 13% because the increased production is partially offset by lower carry-in stocks. The harvest is near completion except for sunflowers, which are normally harvested later than the other crops. 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 of pulse and special crops are forecast to be similar to a year ago at 3.9 million MT. Total carry-out stocks are expected to rise by 58% to 0.8 million MT. Carry-out stocks for dry peas and lentils are expected to rise sharply but remain low for the other pulse and special 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: the volatility of commodity markets, the impacts of the US and European credit crisis, the Canada-US dollar exchange rate and the planting progress of pulse crops on the Indian subcontinent.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here