Canadian oat and barley stocks of Dec. 31 were both tighter compared to a year earlier.
Statistics Canada’s grain stocks report Friday estimated total national barley stocks as of the end of last year at 4.958 million tonnes, down 9.2% from Dec. 31 2023, while oat stocks, at 2.186 million, were 4.4% lower.
The decline in oat stocks as of December 31, 2024, was led by a lower carry-in from 2023-24 (-65.3% to 442 000 tonnes), offsetting higher production in 2024 (+27% to 3.4 million tonnes). Canadian barley production in 2024 was 8.144 million tonnes, down 8.5% on the year.
Nationwide on-farm and commercial stocks of barley declined versus a year earlier, with on-farm stockpiles sliding 8.1% to 4.634 million tonnes, and commercial stocks down 22.5% to 324,000. For oats, on-farm stocks as of Dec. 31 were 3.5% lower at 1.869 million, while commercial stocks decreased 10% to 316 000 tonnes.
Indicated Aug. 1 – Dec. 31 barley usage was 4.437 million tonnes, up less than 4% from the same period in 2023. Oat usage, at 1.634 million tonnes, was little changed from 1.646 million the previous year.
On-farm barley stocks in Saskatchewan as of Dec. 31 were pegged at 1.618 million tonnes, down 13% from a year earlier, while on-farm oat stocks in the province were nearly 9% lower at 876,000. Alberta on-farm barley and oat stocks were both about 9% lower from a year ago at 2.279 million and 365,000 tonnes, respectively. Manitoba on-farm barley stocks climbed to 535,000 tonnes from 520,000 a year earlier, while on-farm stocks were up 17% to 453,000 tonnes.
