MarketsFarm — Despite drought conditions throughout southern Manitoba decimating crops during the summer, late rain showers in some areas are improving harvests of one crop in particular.
Precipitation in August helped improve the sunflower seed harvest in areas of Manitoba, with the province reporting on Oct. 13 average yields of more than 2,000 lbs. per acre, most in good quality.
In the province’s eastern region, yields for oilseed varieties averaged between 3,500 and 4,000 lbs./ac. So far, at least 60 per cent of this year’s sunflower seed crop has been harvested.
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“We’re very lucky that the area where our sunflowers are actually had decent rains,” black oil sunflower seed producer Korey Peters said. Peters, who farms south of Winnipeg, is also a member of the sunflower committee for the Manitoba Crop Alliance.
“I know the majority of Manitoba didn’t get rains. About half of our acres of other crops didn’t get a lot of rain, but this area did and it worked out okay,” he added. “On these fields, we have seven inches more rain than we did on our home farm throughout June, July and August.”
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) projected 77,000 tonnes of sunflower seeds produced for the 2021-22 crop year in its latest supply and demand report released Thursday.
The total represents a 23.8 per cent drop from the previous year, despite only an 8.8 per cent decline in seeded area. However, production for this year is still expected to be greater than the 63,000 tonnes grown in 2019-20.
“For the oils, I’m hearing good things so far. Maybe not extraordinary, but it just seems like a decent crop, so far,” Peters said, adding he still had 150 acres, or one-third of his crop, remaining to harvest.
The sunflower seed market is expected to perform well over the coming months. While the global supply is projected to be a record 61 million tonnes for 2021-22 due to increased production in Ukraine and Russia, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, world domestic use (mostly for food, bird seed and oils) will also rise to a record 56 million tonnes. Carryout stocks will dip seven per cent to 1.9 million tonnes, supporting prices.
“The market, like most crops right now, is very good,” Peters said. “The price, for the most part in oil sunflowers, hasn’t really moved. It’s pretty steady compared to other crops that might have a lot more fluctuation throughout the years. But this year has been a change where demand has gone up and the price has reflected that.”
— Adam Peleshaty reports for MarketsFarm from Stonewall, Man.
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