08 December 2020
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Production 1.3% lower in Canada
POTATO production in Canada for the year 2020 is estimated at 104,203,000 hundred weight, 1.3% below 2019.
Market uncertainty arising from the COVID=19 pandemic has resulted in COVID-19, Canada planted 5,000 fewer acres in the spring of 2020.
The bigger reduction, however, came from hot dry weather conditions across the country and particularly in Eastern Canada where many growers are unable to irrigate their crops. Canadian yields dropped 13cwt./acre from 309cwt./acre in 2019 to 296cwt./acre in 2020.
Prince Edward Island was one of the region’s most severely affected by the drought, with production reduced by an average of 13.6%. In Nova Scotia, production is estimated to be down 27.9%. Estimates for Quebec’s production were 1.7% above 2019 and Ontario’s production is estimated to be up 813,000
hundred weight or 12.1%.
After a disastrous harvest last year, Manitoba reports the biggest increase in Canadian production this year, up 4,300,000 hundred weight or 21.8% above 2019.
In Saskatchewan, production is expected to be down 6.7% while Alberta increased its production by 7.8% or 1,689,000 million hundred weight.
Production in British Columbia is estimated to be very close to 2019 with an increase of 0.5%.
Source: United Potato Growers of Canada
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