Statistics Canada released an acreage report on Tuesday
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Canola is one of the crops Canadian farmers will be planting less of in 2022.
“Despite high prices and strong global demand for oilseeds, canola area is expected to decrease 7 (per cent) to 20.9 million acres in 2022 as farmers shift to alternate crops such as cereals,” Statistics Canada said in its principal field crop area report in April 26.
Stats Canada’s June 2021 report indicated Canadian producers planted 22.5 million acres of canola.
On a provincial level, Saskatchewan will continue to lead the way.
Growers in that province, which produces the most canola in Canada, are expected to seed 11.1 million acres of canola in 2022.
This represents a decrease of almost 1 million acres, or 8 per cent.
The June 2021 publication said Saskatchewan growers planted 12.1 million acres of canola.
Farmers in Alberta plan to seed 6.3 million acres of canola while producers in Manitoba anticipate seeding 3.3 million acres of canola.
These figures represent decreases of 6.9 and 3.9 per cent, respectively.
Another crop expected to seed its acreages decrease is barley.
Farmers are projected to plant 9.7 per cent fewer barley acres in 2022 compared to 2021, bringing the total acreage to about 7.5 million acres.
Farmers planted 8.3 million acres of barley in 2021, Stats Can said in its June 2021 report.
It’s expected farmers in Saskatchewan will decrease their barley acres the most.
Farmers in that province are projected to reduce barley acres by 17.6 per cent to 3.1 million acres.
Producers in Alberta and Manitoba are also expected to scale back barley acres by 3.9 and 1.1 per cent, respectively.