Statistics Canada reports all-wheat plantings will be 27 million acres—or six per cent higher than last year—based on producer surveys conducted in December and January.

Wheat is an easier crop to grow and profit margins are good based on tighter global supplies caused by ongoing drought in the U.S. Plains states and the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Canadian spring wheat area will be an estimated 19.5 million acres (up 7.5 per cent), durum comes at in 6.1 million acres (up 0.9 per cent) and winter wheat 1.5 million acres (up 12.7 percent).  Farmers in Saskatchewan anticipate seeding 7.3 per cent more wheat for a total of 14.2 million acres. Spring wheat area is expected to expand to 9.2 million acres (up 10.2 per cent) with durum coming in at an even 5-million acres (up 2.9 per cent).

Anticipated Canadian canola area is on target with the five-year average at 21.6 million acres, or 0.9 per cent more than last year. Saskatchewan farmers are planning to seed 3.7 per cent more canola which works out to 11.8 million acres. On the other hand, Alberta farmers say they will be seeding 2.6 per cent less canola at 6.4 million acres.

To plant more wheat and canola, farmers are expected to cut back on oats, barley, peas and lentils.

Oat area is pegged to plummet 30 per cent in Saskatchewan to only 1.3 million acres and barley area is forecast to decline 4.7 per cent to 2.6 million acres.

Fewer pulse crops are also expected to be planted in our province with lentils at 3.5 million acres (down 7.7 per cent) and peas at 1.7 million acres (down 6.4 per cent)

Other than wheat and canola, mustard and canaryseed are the two other crops reporting increased interest with mustard at 481,300 acres (up 19.4 per cent) and canaryseed 306,000 acres (up 13.3 per cent)

The Statistics Canada chart below contains national numbers from the seeding intentions survey.