Modest Rise in Cropped Area

OTTAWA - Apr 24/09 - SNS -- Canadian farmers intend to marginally increase land in field crops this year, boosting field pea, barley, soybean and spring wheat area, while reducing land in canola from last year, according to Statistics Canada's 2009 seeding intentions estimates. Land under summerfallow will slip from 6.07 million to 5.995 million acres.

The March Seeding Intentions Survey covered 14,500 Canadian farmers and was conducted between March 24 and March 31, 2009. Statistics Canada stressed, "Survey data reveal only intentions. Farmers may modify their plans prior to planting time as a result of economic and environmental conditions. Some farmers indicated they were still undecided about their final strategies for 2009."

The biggest surprises were in the pulse estimates, with Canadian farmers say they intend to seed a record quantity of field peas his spring; while boosting lentil area less than expected. Early indications are that Prairie farmers may seed 4.2 million acres in dry field peas, up 5.3% from the 2008 record high. If attained, this would be the third consecutive annual increase.

Farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta reported that they may plant 3.2 million acres and 890,000 acres respectively, both above 2008 levels. However, in Manitoba, farmers anticipate planting 18.0% fewer acres of peas.

Prairie farmers anticipate planting 17.0 million acres in spring wheat, up 6.2% or 990,000 acres from 2008. Wheat acreage should increase in all three Prairie provinces. Early indications are that the acreage will increase the most in Saskatchewan, where farmers anticipate planting an additional 430,000 acres.

The total area seeded to barley on the Prairies is expected to rise 145,000 acres to 8.9 million acres. Farmers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan expect to plant more barley, while in Alberta, farmers could plant the same area as in 2008.

Prairie farmers indicated that the area seeded to canola may decline to 14.8 million acres. This would be 7.3% below the record area of 16.0 million acres in 2008. Farmers in all three Prairie provinces expected lower area planted to canola.

Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba, the three major producers of soybeans, are expecting to increase their seeded areas to 3.3 million acres, an increase of 300,000 acres over 2008.