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Mustard seeds: experts pin their hopes on Canada's crop

February 3, 2021 at 2:23 PM , Der AUDITOR
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OTTAWA/MOSCOW. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada ventures an outlook for the 2021/2022 Canadian mustard seed season, currently estimating this year's crop...

… at 145,000 mt, up 47% from last year. However, the forecasts for the 2020 crop were at a similar level last year, but in reality significantly less mustard seeds were grown, so that only 99,000 mt were produced despite a significant increase in yield. This caused the average price to rise by 16% to CAD 810/mt so far. For the coming season, the experts expect only a slight price decline to CAD 800/mt despite higher production results. The experts at Rayglen Commodities confirm this trend, as both yellow and brown mustard seeds are currently trading at a relatively high level.

Mustard seeds, Canada

2019/20 vs. 2020/21

2020/21 vs. 2021/22

Area sown (ha)

161,000

104,000

-35.4%

104,000

160,000

53.8%

Area harvested (ha)

155,000

101,000

-34.8%

101,000

155,000

53.5%

Yields (mt/ha)

0.87

0.98

12.6%

0.98

0.94

-4.1%

Production (mt)

135,000

99,000

-26.7%

99,000

145,000

46.5%

Imports (mt)

7,000

7,000

0.0%

7,000

8,000

14.3%

Total supplies (mt)

214,000

166,000

-22.4%

166,000

168,000

1.2%

Exports (mt)

113,000

110,000

-2.7%

110,000

115,000

4.5%

Domestic consumption (mt)

41,000

41,000

0.0%

41,000

43,000

4.9%

Carry-over stocks (mt)

61,000

15,000

-75.4%

15,000

10,000

-33.3%

Avg price in CAD/mt

700

810

15.7%

810

800

-1.2%

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Germany reduces imports by 12%

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canada continues to export much of its mustard seeds to both the United States and the EU. However, it is important to note that imports of Canadian mustard seeds into Germany fell to 3,753 mt between January and November 2020, down from 6,662 mt in the same period of 2019. However, the decline in imports from Kazakhstan is even more significant: since May 2020, the export of mustard seeds to Germany has almost come to a complete standstill, with the result that the volume of imports fell by 84% to 943 mt. Shipments from Ukraine also decreased, while Russia and Estonia achieved a notable increase. Overall, imports were about 12% lower year-on-year at 35,901 mt.

Mustard seed* imports, Germany, in mt

Country

2019

2020

Diff.

Russia

14,823

18,341

23.7%

Ukraine

11,646

10,229

-12.2%

Canada

6,662

3,753

-43.7%

Estonia

391

1,378

252.4%

Kazakhstan

6,059

943

-84.4%

Czech Republic

350

546

56.0%

Poland

247

221

-10.5%

Bulgaria

0

109

-

USA

0

105

-

Moldova

462

0

-100.0%

Others

352

276

-21.6%

Total

40,992

35,901

-12.4%

Federal Statistical Office of Germany / Jan-Nov

* 12075090 Mustard seeds, whether or not broken (excl. for sowing)

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View the Food Commodity Almanac for 2021.

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