Canada: Canadian farmers plant their smallest barley crop in eight years

Canadian farmers planted their smallest barley crop in eight years in 2025, with tightening supplies likely going forward, Grainews reported on July 3.

Canadian barley area was estimated at 6.136 million acres by Statistics Canada in its June 27 report. That was down from an earlier estimate, 4.2 per cent lower on the year and the smallest acreage base since 2017.

While average yields could see Canadian barley production hold steady on the year around 8.1 million tonnes, solid exports and domestic feed demand would still cut into supplies.

The International Grains Council forecasts Canadian barley ending stocks in 2025/26 at only 500,000 tonnes, which would compare with an estimated 800,000 tonnes for the current marketing year and the 1.2 million-tonne carryout from 2023/24.

Canada has exported 1.91 million tonnes of barley through May, according to the latest international trade data from Statistics Canada, with China accounting for nearly three quarters of the exports at 1.37 million tonnes.

Of the total, Canada has exported 1.05 million tonnes of malt barley, including 780,500 tonnes to China.

While Canadian barley area may be down on the year, the United States saw a 1.8 per cent increase in acres at 2.416 million, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data released June 30. Area was down slightly in Montana, the largest barley growing state, but was compensated by an increase in North Dakota.

Feed barley into Lethbridge, Alta., was priced at C$298 to C$307 per tonne as of June 23, according to the Alberta government’s weekly market review. That was down by $10 to $15 per tonne on the week. Delivered corn prices were also lower, losing US$12.50 on average to come in at roughly C$292.50 per tonne into Lethbridge.