Grain price comparison

Most, but not all grain prices are much higher than a year ago at this time. On its website, if you know where to look, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture publishes a market trends report that compares current prices with prices a year ago. At this time last year, the flax market was plagued by contamination with the GM variety CDC Triffid. Prices were just over $8 a bushel. Now prices are listed at over $14. Canola at this time last year was less than $9 a bushel. As of the December 8 date used in the comparison, canola was well over $11 a bushel. In percentage terms, oats has seen a dramatic move with 3 CW going from under $2 a bushel last year to well over $3 this year. Feed barley and feed wheat are both 50 to 60 cents a bushel stronger. Yellow peas are up by about a dollar a bushel. Canaryseed is up by about a nickel a pound. Some crops haven’t fared so well. With prices ranging from 19 to 23 cents a pound depending on the type, mustard is a couple cents a pound below last year. Red lentils are listed at around 23 cents a pound, down dramatically from the 31 cents of a year ago. Like many others, I’m starting to put together some cropping budgets for 2011, but it’s really tough to know what prices to assume. As for Crop Insurance, the prices we’re seeing now should approximate the values used for program coverage.

I’m Kevin Hursh.

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