MarketsFarm — Excessive moisture in the eastern Canadian Prairies this spring may cut into pea acres in the region, as producers like to get the crop in the ground early.
Canadian farmers intended to plant 3.55 million acres of peas for the 2022-23 crop year, according to a report from Statistics Canada. That would be down from 3.82 million the previous year and the smallest acreage base since 2013.
Dale McManus, a broker with Johnston’s Grain in Saskatchewan, had heard of some pea contracts being cancelled by farmers already due to excessive moisture and flooding.
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While the western Prairies remain dry, southern Manitoba and the southeastern part of Saskatchewan could see some acreage shifts.
“They just won’t bother with peas if it gets too late,” McManus said, adding that oats were the most likely replacement crop. “It will affect the price of oats… people will put something in to hold the land down and the only thing you can put in is oats… we’ll end up with a bunch of oats in the country, will push that price down.”
For the peas that do get seeded, McManus expected the shift to seeding more yellow peas than green peas would continue, as the demand for yellow peas is much stronger.
The rising protein market is primarily looking for yellow peas due to aesthetics, as green coloured products are unappetizing to consumers.
Spot yellow pea prices are currently topping out at $18.50 per bushel, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire, while green peas top out at $15.75.
In the past, green peas would have normally traded at a premium, but McManus expected the current spread favouring yellows was here to stay, given the increased demand.
— Phil Franz-Warkentin reports for MarketsFarm from Winnipeg.
