Seed early, control weeds and spray for pathogens, and flax can make more money than canola, says oilseed specialist
Anastasia Kubinec has made the sales pitch many times: if growers get the agronomy right, it’s possible to boost flax yields by 50 to 75 percent.
The oilseeds specialist from Manitoba Agriculture says they can potentially increase flax yields from 20 to 34 bushels per acre if they seed flax after wheat or another crop that supports soil mycorrhiza, seed before the May long weekend, control weeds and spray for pasmo, a seed-borne fungal pathogen.
“If you actually treat flax like a crop where you want to make money, chances are you’re going to make money,” she told the CropConnect conference in Winnipeg Feb. 17-18.
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Most producers in the audience were receptive to her message, but one farmer asked the obvious question: “How many people (in the room) have actually had a 35 bu. flax crop?”
Six or seven growers raised their hands, confirming it is possible to get decent yields from flax in Manitoba.
“Do your own research on farm,” Kubinec told the skeptical producer.
“Split a field in half … put some fungicide on and no fungicide and look for yourself to see if there’s a yield difference … and whether or not it’s going to work for you and your pocketbook.”
Kubinec said flax typically averages 20 bu. per acre in Manitoba, but there is a simple prescription to substantially increase that number:
Flax doesn’t do well after canola because canola depletes the population of soil mycorrhizae. Flax needs arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to harness soil phosphorus. Growing flax after wheat, or another non-canola crop, can boost yields by two bu. per acre.
Flax should be seeded early. Planting before the May long weekend can increase yields by two bu. per acre.
Controlling weeds with a pre-seed burn-off and using in-crop products like Authority, Treflan and Avadex can increase yields by 30 to 40 percent, or six bu. per acre.
Using a fungicide to control pasmo can boost yields by four bu. per acre.
In total, those practices can add 14 bu. to potential flax yield.
“With a few simple things, we can really bump up our flax yields … and make more money than one of our big competitors, canola,” Kubinec said.
Flax is actually more profitable than canola if growers can generate yields in the 30s.
Kubinec broke down the financial returns of a 34 bu. flax crop compared to a 50 bu. canola crop using Manitoba Agriculture cost of production estimates:
Assuming a flax price of $12 per bu. and operating costs of $171 per acre, a 34 bu. flax crop generates a return of $237 per acre.
Assuming a canola price of $9.50 per acre and operating costs of $253 per acre, a 50 bu. canola crop returns $222 per acre.
Flax is now below 100,000 acres in Manitoba as many farmers choose to instead grow soybeans or canola.
It has a reputation as a low yielding, finicky crop, but Kubinec hopes growers will take advantage of the economic opportunity and start growing it again.
Erwin Hanley, Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission chair, said it’s a great time for Manitoba farmers to embrace flax because demand and prices are strong.
He said U.S. bakers and the American pet food industry want Canadian flax.
“The price right now for flax, for new crop, is $12.50 a bu.,” he said.
“The whole idea of the healthy oil profile (for) humans and animals (is driving demand)…. Over the past two years we’ve seen a significant increase in (U.S.) demand.”
As well, Chinese customers are buying more flax for industrial uses and human consumption.
Hanley expects Saskatchewan farmers to seed more than a million acres of flax this spring. SaskFlax was hoping for a million acres last year, but spring flooding in southeastern Saskatchewan cut into acreage.
“When the final numbers came in, I think we were around that 800,000 to 900,000 (acres),” Hanley said.
Manitoba acreage will be tiny compared to Saskatchewan, but Kubinec is hoping for an increase over last year.
“I’ve had a number of farmers call me in the last few months, interested in growing flax,” she said.
“To increase their crop rotation because they’re having diseases in other crops. Also, they’ve seen some of their neighbours having better (flax) yields.”
