STAT Communications Ag Market News

Second Largest Pulse Harvest Forecast

OTTAWA - Aug 31/20 - SNS -- Canada is on the verge of harvesting the second largest pulse crop, with Statistics Canada pegging output of peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas at a combined total of 8.333 million metric tons (MT).

If realized, production will be up 17% over last year and up almost 19% from the recent five year average of 7.012 million. The largest harvest on record was recorded in 2016 when combined output reached 8.386 million MT.

The increase was driven by a major improvement in average yields over last year or all pulses, along with sunflower and mustard seed. Only canaryseed yields are expected to decline.

Yield estimates were not based on a survey of farmers in July, as was the case in prior years.. Instead, Statistics Canada said to "alleviate stress on farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic, (it) relied upon proven satellite technology to model preliminary crop yields and harvests for 2020.

"These methods have successfully been used to produce September yield estimates since 2016, and last year replaced the method used to produce the July yield estimates for Manitoba."

Farmers in parts of the Prairies had to contend with excessive rain and lower-than-average temperatures this summer, while it was hot and dry throughout most of Eastern Canada.

Data from the Crop Condition Assessment Program published by Statistics Canada indicate that overall plant health in the Prairie provinces was equal to or much better than normal for most of the region, indicating the possibility of higher-than-normal yields. Conversely, plant health in Eastern Canada was worse than average and has worsened considerably since early June, likely because of the lack of rain.

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