MarketsFarm — If Canada’s 2022 sunflower seed harvest is to be the lowest in five years, you wouldn’t know it talking to producers of the crop.
In its July satellite image-based principal field crops estimates released Monday, Statistics Canada projected sunflower seed production for the 2022-23 marketing year at 61,996 tonnes, 24.2 per cent lower than the 2021 total of 81,749. StatCan also projected an 8.2 per cent drop in seeded acres to 93,100 compared to 2021.
Heavy rains in Manitoba, where most of Canada’s sunflowers are grown, caused a delay in spring seeding which resulted in the drop in acres and production — but sunny and warm weather in August has been improving crop conditions.
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“Right now, (sunflowers) are in the flowering stage, so seeds are starting to develop in the heads. Their stalks are nice and strong,” said Jody Locke, originator at Scoular’s seed processing plant at Winkler, Man.
“It’s a big crop overall. There are a lot of acres out there for black oils and some for confectionary as well… We’ve had lots of heat and we’ve had enough moisture that they are doing really well.”
Manitoba Crop Alliance director Gregg Fotheringham, who grows sunflowers near Reston in the southwest corner of the province, said growing conditions this year are much better than in 2021.
“Last year, we had a lot of heat stress through the growing season and a lack of moisture. This year, we’ve had ample moisture and very little heat stress,” he said. “There’s been very little insect damage and better growing conditions all the way around.”
Locke added while there are fewer acres for confectionary (striped) sunflower seeds, the seeded area for black oil sunflower seeds has grown over the past two years. She acknowledged the crop did well despite last year’s drought, but quantity does not always correlate with quality.
“The seeds didn’t fill in (last year) quite as much like they would normally do, so they were smaller and a little bit lighter,” she said. “(This year), everything is looking really good. The seeds are developing right now, but there’s no reason to think that they won’t produce a very good seed this year.”
As for demand, Locke said sales are back to pre-pandemic levels and confectionary sales are slightly higher due to the return of sporting events.
As sunflower exports from two of the world’s major growers of the crop, Russia and Ukraine, are reduced to a trickle due to the conflict between the two nations, it would stand to reason that Canadian sunflower seeds and oils would be in greater demand. However, Fotheringham is unsure if that’s the case.
“We’re going to need another month or two to see if demand really picks up. I would think it should certainly help us, but that’s yet to be seen,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fotheringham is very pleased with this year’s crop.
“I think if ‘Jack Frost’ stays away until the second week of September, this crop is made.”
— Adam Peleshaty reports for MarketsFarm from Stonewall, Man.
