The Canadian Wheat Board said Jan. 7 it expects to export 12.7 million tonnes of wheat when the crop year ends July 31, up 12 per cent from the 2007-08 crop year, due to a large harvest.
The CWB also expects to export 3.35 million tonnes of durum compared with 3.1 million tonnes last year.
Barley exports are forecast at 1.6 million tonnes, down from 2.9 million last year.
The total export figure of 17.65 million tonnes is up slightly from an estimate of 17.5 million tonnes given to Reuters in an October interview with Ward Weisensel, chief operating officer.
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However, the CWB has raised its export estimate from 15.3 million tonnes set in late July.
Prairie farmers harvested a large crop in 2008, with production of the six major grains at 54.3 million tonnes, up 25 per cent from the previous year. Global wheat production increased 12 per cent in 2008-09 from the previous year’s record level.
The wheat board projects farmers in Saskatchewan will get about $246 per tonne of top-quality spring wheat, $297 for durum wheat and $253 for malting barley. The CWB’s next pool return outlook (PRO) is due Jan. 22.
The CWB exported 40 per cent of its target by Dec. 31, compared with 50 per cent last year. The farmer-run agency expects to have 80 per cent exported by the end of May, compared with 90 per cent last year.
