Manitoba sunflower acres won’t increase as much as expected because persistent rains have made seeding difficult in southwestern Manitoba this spring.
Ben Friesen, commodity purchasing manager with Keystone Grain, a special crops processor in Winkler, Man., was expecting sunflower acres to rise significantly in 2014.
“Originally, I had projected Manitoba in the 120,000-acre range. I’m thinking we could possibly be losing 10,000 acres over there (in the southwest),” Friesen said.
Last year, Manitoba farmers seeded approximately 70,000 acres of sunflowers, one of the lowest figures over the last eight years.
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June 10 was the seeding deadline for full insurance coverage for sunflowers in Manitoba. Sunflower growers can plant until June 15 and receive 20 percent reduced coverage.
Friesen said the industry could pick up a few late acres.
“I’m still in that 110,000-115,000 (acres) projection.”
Over the winter, agriculture market analysts said sunflower acres were poised to increase in Manitoba.
With production contracts of 32 cents per pound for confectionary sunflowers and 22 cents per lb. for black oils, the crop penciled out as one of the most profitable options for growers.
Darcelle Graham, National Sunflower Association of Canada executive director, said official acreage stats won’t be known for several weeks, but reduced production in southwestern Manitoba will definitely cut into the overall total.
“A good percentage of our acres go in there.”
Sunflower acres seeded in Manitoba:
• 2006 – 190,000
• 2007 – 190,000
• 2008 – 170,000
• 2009 – 160,000
• 2010 – 135,000
• 2011 – 35,000
• 2012 – 100,000
• 2013 – 70,000
• 2014 – ??
(Sources: Statistics Canada and Manitoba Agriculture)
