Some seed already booked Booking early reduces flexibility to switch if conditions aren’t suited to crop
Farmers should be able to have their pick of canola varieties this spring, say many industry observers.
However, the hottest new varieties might be in short supply.
This situation is the result of an expected decline in canola acreage next spring and farmers’ tendency to quickly snap up high-yielding and special varieties.
“Some of the top new varieties will be in short supply, but there are many varieties that there will be lots of in the spring,” said Bret Halstead, chair of the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission.
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Prairie canola acreage is expected to decline by 10 to 15 percent next spring, partly because of mediocre per-acre returns compared to other crops and partly because of last summer’s widespread production problems.
Aster yellows and blackleg caused serious yield losses in many areas, taking the bloom off the canola rose for many farmers. That means seed supplies produced for this coming spring were targeted for a bigger acreage than is likely to be seeded.
The summer’s bad weather probably damaged seed production as well, but no one is forecasting a general tightness of canola seed.
However, the development of high-yielding and specialty canolas has created a new class of farmer who acts aggressively to bag the best varieties each season.
Those farmers are active now, regardless of the general projection of lower acreage next spring.
“Always now at this time of year some guys are booking seed,” said Rick White, executive director of the Canadian Canola Growers Association.
Monsanto spokesperson Trish Jordan said she didn’t believe there was any general seed shortage for canola, but specific varieties disappear fast.
“If farmers want to be sure of getting their variety they want, the booking is going back earlier and earlier every year,” she said.
“It used to be around now that people started booking their seed, but it’s backed up into October-November.”
SCDA director Franck Groeneweg said he thinks some farmers are getting rushed into seed booking too early.
Booking too early reduces farmers’ flexibility to switch crops next spring, if conditions warrant.
