Two Million Acres of Canadian Canola Buried Under Snow Till Spring

Canadian canola growers continue to have a miserable season. After reduced spring plantings, a Chinese ban on canola imports, and wet autumn weather hindering the harvest, now heavy snow and rain across the prairies have left approximately 2 million acres of canola under snow until next spring. A portion of the buried crops will be able to be salvaged in the spring to be sold at a discount, but there is always the threat of damage from moisture and wildlife. Even still, the need to harvest fields next spring will have a knock-on effect by delaying spring planting.

These developments have led to a drop in harvested area of 20.6 million acres, or 8.8 percent, and for Statistics Canada to cut more than 700,000 tons from the country’s production expectations for 2019/2020.

Although the loss of the Chinese market has hit Canada’s growers, the country has done well to find alternative buyers. As of November 24 Canada’s canola exports were 9.5 percent lower than the year before - a less drastic decline than expected.

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