Good potato-growing conditions in most of Canada led to per-acre yields near the record seen in 2006, according to preliminary numbers from Statistics Canada.
Preliminary potato yields reached 279 hundredweight per acre in 2007, down slightly from 287.1 cwt/acre in 2006, while overall production fell two per cent to 109.6 million cwt (about 4.97 million tonnes), the agency reported Friday.
Acres planted to potatoes were down one per cent at 397,000, StatsCan said. Only about one per cent of the acres went unharvested thanks to “excellent” fall harvesting conditions in all provinces except British Columbia, where 11 per cent of its 9,000 acres remained unharvested.
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In response to increased contracts for processing potatoes, Manitoba potato production rose from 2006 levels by 10 per cent to 23.7 million cwt, on average yields of 280 cwt/acre. Production in Alberta and Quebec was up four and two per cent, respectively, at 19 million and 11.9 million cwt.
Yields dropped 32 per cent in Ontario to 143 cwt/acre, leading to a harvest of 5.1 million cwt, compared to 7.5 million in 2006. Newfoundland and Labrador yields dropped 24 per cent to 175 cwt/acre, for 123,000 cwt in total.
Despite its unharvested acres, StatsCan estimated B.C. potato production at 2.4 million cwt, up almost one per cent.
