WINNIPEG - Unprecedented wet weather across the Prairies has dampened the crop forecast.
The Canadian Wheat Board said in its preliminary crop outlook released Friday that about 7.7 million hectares will be seeded to wheat — the smallest area since 1971. The barley crop is looking at its worst seeding since 1965 with about 2.7 million hectares planted.
Three million to five million hectares could go fallow this year in Western Canada because the fields are too wet, said the board.
"The excess rain has washed away the hope of seeding for many farmers," said Bruce Burnett, director of weather and market analysis.
It's been wet from southern Alberta through Saskatchewan and into eastern Manitoba. The board said the region had record wet weather from April 1 until early this week. Burnett said it was "by far and away" the wettest April and May since 1900 for the area around Saskatoon.
"This is an unprecedented event in Western Canada. Certainly in the last 40 years we haven't seen conditions over such a large area this bad," said Burnett.
full article here:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/100611/business/wet_crop_outlook_2
Over the years, the world has moved towards less and less food in reserve. A little more than a decade ago, the world was estimated to have 180 days of grain in reserve. In the last few years, levels have fallen to about a third of that. It's not a situation to panic about, but consider what happens if we have a bad year worldwide....
It's food for thought, anyway.
Originall posted June 11.2010 @Manitoba Preppers Network.
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