Canadian Grain Stocks Jump

OTTAWA - May 8/09 - SNS -- Stocks of all grains and oilseeds were higher in Canada on March 31 than was the case one year earlier, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada, with records set for canola and dry field peas.

Western Canadian on-farm stocks of canola rose 40.6% to a record 4.7 million metric tons (MT). As of March 31, farmers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan reported above average amounts of canola, the result of strong production in 2008. Growers in Manitoba reported a 39.4% increase to 920,000 MT, and in Saskatchewan stocks were up 70.2% to 2.4 million MT. Total stocks of canola in March were up 27.9% from March 2008 to 5.9 million MT.

Total stocks of dry field peas rose considerably, the result of high production in 2008. Total stocks increased 92.5% to 1.7 million MT.

Dry field pea on-farm stocks were well above average in Saskatchewan, with an increase of 112.6% to 1.0 million MT. In Alberta, stocks rose by 157.9% to 245 000 MT. Commercial stocks in Canada were up 36.4% to 375,000 MT.

Stocks of durum were up in all on-farm and commercial positions. Prairie on-farm stocks of durum rose 141.9% to 2.6 million MT, while total stocks (which include commercial positions) rose 85.8% to 3.8 million MT. In spite of the increases, March stock levels remained well below all-time high levels.

In releasing the data, Statistics Canada said onfarm stocks estimates derive from survey of 14,500 Canadian farmers between March 24 to March 31, 2009. Farmers were asked to report the amounts of grain, oilseeds and special crops in on-farm storage.

Data on commercial stocks of western major crops originate from the Canadian Grain Commission. Commercial stocks of corn and soybeans are estimated by a Statistics Canada sample of grain elevators in Eastern Canada. Data on commercial stocks of special crops originate from a survey of handlers and agents of special crops.