Canada: Barley acreage estimated 9.7% down from last year

StatsCan barley acreage estimate of April, 26 is 3.0 mln ha, 9.7 % less than last year. Private estimates are lower, down up to 25% in Saskatchewan and 15% in Alberta, H. M. Gauger GmbH said earlier in May.

Planting is delayed after a long and very cold winter, in the eastern Prairies heavy rains delay seeding, and in the important West it is still too cold and too dry.

We may still see a crop of 9 – 10 mln tonnes, but right now farmers are super reluctant to price their crops, after the awful experience of last year, the analysts said.

Exports of crop 21 barley are 1.76 mln tonnes to-date, of which 1.68 mln to China. Such an export performance after a crop failure could only be achieved with the help of record imports of U.S. Yellow Corn.

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