Canada: Barley plantings forecast to increase by 5% this year

Canadian farmers will plant more wheat and coarse grains in 2025 at the expense of oilseeds, according to the first supply/demand projections for the 2025/26 marketing year from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, released Jan. 20.

The government agency estimated all-wheat seedings, including durum, at 27.25 million acres, which would be up two per cent from 2024. With trendline yields, total wheat production is forecast to increase to 35.025 million tonnes from 24.958 million in 2024/25.

Barley plantings are forecast to increase by five per cent, at 6.67 million acres, with oats up 6.5 per cent at 3.09 million acres and corn seedings up three per cent at 3.76 million.

Meanwhile, canola area is forecast at 21.00 million acres which would be down by roughly a million acres on the year. Soybean seedings are forecast to fall by seven per cent at 5.31 million acres.

Total canola production is forecast to be down by two per cent on the year at 17.500 million tonnes in 2025/26. Canola ending stocks are forecast to tighten to 950,000 tonnes, from an expected 1.250 million tonnes in the current marketing year and 2.748 million tonnes at the close of 2023/24.

Pulse and special crops area is expected to decrease by two per cent as lower areas for chickpeas, dry beans, mustard and canary seed are partly offset by expectations for an increase in areas for dry peas, lentils, and sunflower seed.

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