CANADA (11 October)
In Canada, harvesting of the bulk of the 2005 grain crop started in late August. Progress has been somewhat slow this year due to rainfall and cool temperatures and as of late September, the harvest was reported to be about 70 percent complete, about 10 days behind the normal pace. The northern and central parts of the Saskatchewan and Alberta grain belts were lagging furthest behind. However, the good rainfall throughout the season was generally favourable for crop yields, especially wheat, and another above-average output is expected. Latest official forecasts put the 2005 wheat production at almost 25.5 million tonnes, just slightly below last year’s output but some 13 percent above the average of the past five years. Despite the smallest planted area in about 3 decades yields are near-record. The barley crop, forecast at 12 million tonnes, would also be just short of last year’s level, because of reduced plantings and yields, but would still be above the five-year average.