A big haul by Western Canadian farmers has helped boost crop exports, says the Canadian Grain Commission.
The organization reported today, as of Nov. 24, 5.1 million tonnes of wheat and 2.3 million tonnes of canola have been exported this crop year. That’s up from the five-year averages for this time of year of 3.9 million tonnes and 1.8 million tonnes.
“This year, producers in Western Canada saw record yields. So while our data shows that grain is moving to export at a faster pace, this year, it feels like it’s taking a lot longer to empty the bins,” said Elwin Hermanson, chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission, in a media release.
In its most recent service report, Canadian Pacific Railway reports it spotted more than 5,400 rail cars, with thousands more requested.
The grain commission reports 105,700 tonnes of wheat and 5,500 tonnes of canola from Western Canadian has been shipped to terminals by producer cars as of Nov. 24, up from 2012 numbers of 64,600 tonnes and 5,300 tonnes.
