Farmers in Canada’s prairie region are struggling to get crops in the ground as heavy rains
continue and threaten this year’s grain supply.
Virtually no seeding has been done in Manitoba as more than 90% of the usable crop land is
suffering from excess moisture, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Only 4% of Manitoba’s crops had been sown as of May 17, lagging the five-year average of
50% by this time of year.
Farmers are scrambling to look for dry areas to plant as they swap acres of corn and soybeans
for wheat and canola, which are crops that have shorter seasons, according to Manitoba’s
agriculture ministry.
Meanwhile, drought is expanding in parts of Alberta, a major growing area for spring wheat,
barley and durum. In Saskatchewan, some areas are too wet for seeding while others are too
dry for proper germination, according to the province’s agriculture ministry.
Canada is the top canola exporter and one of the world’s largest wheat exporters. The nation’s
planting woes come as weather is also threatening to curb output in the European Union and
the U.S., compounding shrinking production from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one of the
world’s leading breadbaskets.
