Bearish Lentil Number Surprises Market

VANCOUVER - Jun 27/12 - SNS -- Canada's pulse and specialty crop trade was in shock following the release of this year's seeded area estimates by Statistics Canada, which revealed farmers planted more of all types of specialty crops than last year.

Total land in pulses and other specialty crops is up 413,000 acres from what farmers said they would plant in March, mainly because of an increase in lentil and pea seedings from the intentions. The increase is part of a general shift in thinking away from grains into oilseeds and specialty crops in western Canada.

Land in summerfallow is down 115,000 acres from the March seeding intentions; wheat is down 512,300 acres from this year's intended acreage; oats are down 319,000 acres; and barley 602,000 acres. By contrast, farmers said they boosted land in canola by 900,000 acres and flaxseed by 30,000. Manitoba farmers said they planted 75,000 more acres of soybeans than originally intended.

The latest seeded area estimate is closer to what will actually be planted than was the case in the previous two years, when wet soils prevented farmers from planting much by the time of the seeded area survey. This year's survey was conducted between May 28 and June 7 and involved 25,000 farmers from across the country.

During the week of the survey, Saskatchewan farmers had planted around 88% of this year's intended lentils; 96% of the peas; around 94% of their chickpeas; 95% of the canaryseed; and an estimated 92% of this year's planned mustard seed.