Canada to plant more canola

Canadian farmers are likely to plant more canola this spring at the expense of barley, oats and wheat, the US Agriculture Department said on Monday.
The USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service said in a spring preview report that Canadian farmers would make the switch because canola has the best projected net return of all major field crops.
The USDA report did not include any planting estimates for Canadian canola or other crops.
"The situation for durum wheat is mixed, but net returns for spring wheat are slightly more promising than they were at this time last year in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but slightly less promising in Alberta," the report said. "However, soil moisture conditions at planting time may dictate the type of crop that farmers are able to plant."
On April 23, Statistics Canada will publish a report on planting intentions, based on telephone interviews with farmers.
The first official USDA grain production forecast for Canada.