Statistics Canada says planting intentions for 2013 signals Canadian producers plan to increase spring wheat and durum wheat acres from last year and decrease canola acres. The survey also signals corn and soybean areas could reach new records nationally.
First indications are that Canadian farmers plan to seed 19.1 million acres of canola, down 11.1% from 2012 -- the first decrease in canola area at the national level since 2006. Meanwhile, spring wheat area is projected to rise 14.4% to 19.4 million acres in 2013 and durum wheat acreage is expected to increase for a third consecutive year to 5.1 million acres in 2013.
| 2011 (final) | 2012 (final) | March 2013 (intentions) | 2011 to 2012 | 2012 to March 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| thousands of acres | % change | ||||
| Total wheat1 | 21,483 | 23,706 | 26,618 | 10.3 | 12.3 |
| Spring wheat | 15,734 | 16,939 | 19,375 | 7.7 | 14.4 |
| Durum wheat | 4,011 | 4,680 | 5,105 | 16.7 | 9.1 |
| Winter wheat2 | 1,739 | 2,088 | 2,138 | 20.1 | 2.4 |
| Canola | 18,990 | 21,531 | 19,133 | 13.4 | -11.1 |
| Barley | 6,589 | 7,405 | 7,240 | 12.4 | -2.2 |
| Soybeans | 3,582 | 4,153 | 4,294 | 7.8 | 3.4 |
| Corn for grain | 3,192 | 3,544 | 3,813 | 11.0 | 7.6 |
| Summerfallow | 11,763 | 4,485 | 3,522 | -61.9 | -21.5 |
| Dry field peas | 2,437 | 3,340 | 3,430 | 37.1 | 2.7 |
| Oats | 3,244 | 2,854 | 3,379 | -12.0 | 18.4 |
| Lentils | 2,558 | 2,515 | 2,063 | -1.7 | -18.0 |
| Flaxseed | 740 | 980 | 1,240 | 32.5 | 26.5 |
