Canada: Barley production according to Stats Canada Production Report

According to the Stats Canada Production Report, data from the annual July Farm Survey of 17,600 farmers disclosed a mixed picture for two major producing regions. In Ontario and Quebec, generally hot and dry weather with spotty rainfall, especially in southern Ontario, served to inhibit crops and minimize farmers' production expectations.

In the West part, the levels of soil moisture during the survey period were good, except southern Manitoba, where severe flooding prohibited completion of seeding in some areas and drowned out entire fields of young plants in others. In Saskatchewan and Alberta, farmers reported strong and in some cases record production estimates. Prairie farmers nervously await the harvest, hoping that conditions will remain favourable until then

Prairie barley production should fall 5.8% to 11.5 million tonnes. The 10-year average is 11.4 million tonnes. Manitoba and Alberta announced decreases of 42.0% and 9.9% respectively, while Saskatchewan bucked the trend with an estimated 8.9% increase in barley production. In 2005 the barley crop estimate is of 12,358 million tonnes which is down of 6.3% as compared to 2004.