High protein content in the Canadian wheat crop

Canadian farmers grew a very good wheat crop this year. That information was shared in the New Wheat Crop Report released by Cereals Canada today.

The 2024 report provides a quality and functionality update and highlights Canadian wheat production, according to Dean Dias, chief executive officer at Cereals Canada.

“In the 2024-25 crop year, Canada is expected to export 25.4 million tonnes of wheat to over 80 countries, with the quality and protein content that customers expect,” Dias said. “This will make Canada the world’s third largest exporter of wheat, and the top exporter of high quality, high protein wheat, for the second year in a row.”

In a season that started with ample precipitation in Western Canada, Canadian farmers grew nearly 34.3 million tonnes of high-quality wheat. Yields exceeded expectations, leading to a four per cent increase in non-durum wheat production and an eight per cent increase in durum wheat production. Quality was excellent for all classes with a high proportion of the crop grading No. 2 or better.

Highlights from the report includes information on the CWRS crop which had average protein content with a very high proportion grading No. 1 or No. 2. A high proportion of the CWAD crop graded No. 1 or No. 2 and had average to higher-than average protein content. The CPSR crop had average protein content, and a very high proportion graded No. 1 or No. 2. A high proportion of the CESRW crop graded No. 1 or No. 2 with protein content that is slightly lower than average.

The technical data for the 2024 wheat crop will be presented at two customer webinars hosted by Cereals Canada on Nov. 19 and 20, before a cereals value chain delegation embarks on four international trade and technical missions.

This year’s delegation, which includes Cereals Canada experts, value chain members, producer representatives, and the Canadian Grain Commission, will meet with 18 markets that purchased $8.6 billion worth of Canadian wheat in 2023.

“The New Crop Trade and Technical Missions help strengthen the competitiveness of the Canadian cereal industry,” Dias said. “Our targeted, in-market outreach provides opportunities to build relationships and create advocates for our industry, while engaging in market access discussions. It goes beyond simply providing updates on the quality of Canadian wheat.”

The New Wheat Crop Report is prepared and presented each year, in partnership with the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), value chain members, and provincial grower commissions.

This fall, Cereals Canada received over 115 samples of Western Canadian wheat from eight grain exporters for analysis. The Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) contributed an assessment of Eastern Canadian winter wheat for the report.