Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Drought caused wheat, canola and barley production to plummet in 2021: StatCan

David Reid drives a combine while harvesting a wheat crop near Cremona, Alta., Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh 
David Reid drives a combine while harvesting a wheat crop near Cremona, Alta., Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Share
Toronto -

Crop production over the past year took a nosedive, according to numbers from

Compared to 2020, wheat production fell 38.5 per cent to 21.7 million tonnes this year across Canada, largely driven by extremely hot and dry weather conditions in the Prairies during the growing season.

Saskatchewan saw the biggest declines in wheat production, which dropped 48.1 per cent in the province. This was followed by Alberta, which saw a 42.9 per cent decrease in production. Wheat production in Manitoba dropped 28.9 per cent.

The drought in the Prairies also resulted in canola production dropping its lowest levels since 2007. Nationally, production fell 35.4 per cent to 12.6 million tonnes due to poor yields. By province, canola production dropped 45.4 per cent in Saskatchewan, 19.9 per cent in Alberta and 28.2 per cent in Manitoba.

Barley and oat production also suffered due to the drought in Western Canada. Barley production dropped 35.3 per cent to 6.9 million tonnes while oat production fell 43.0 per cent to 2.6 million tones.

Soybean production also fell slightly, dropping 1.4 per cent nationally to 6.3 million tonnes. While production fell 5.0 per cent in Quebec and 17.1 per cent in Manitoba, Ontario soybean production increased 4.4 per cent.

While Western Canada faced challenging weather events, corn farmers in Ontario and Quebec saw their yields rise due to favourable growing conditions. Production of corn for grain rose 3.1 per cent to 14.0 million tonnes across Canada.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Infectious disease physician Dr. Isaac Bogoch says whooping cough is most risky for unvaccinated infants, children and older people.

Childhood sleep issues may raise suicide risk, study finds

If your child sometimes has trouble sleeping, it may be easy to chalk it up to a phase they will grow out of one day. But a new study suggests possible serious consequences for this line of thought — such as a higher risk for suicidal ideation or attempts when they are older.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.