Mustard seeds: sowing season starts in Canada

April 24, 2024 at 3:47 PM , Der AUDITOR
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OTTAWA/BRUSSELS. In Canada, growers are beginning preparations for the mustard seed sowing season. Meanwhile, market players in the EU are concerned about the supply situation in the new season.

Lack of alternatives

This week, the EU Parliament is debating whether to raise or increase customs duties on Russian and Belarusian agricultural products. Mustard seed imports into the EU would also be affected by this measure; Russia is by far the most important supplier of mustard seeds. Between September 2023 and February 2024, Germany imported a total of 23,759 mt of mustard seeds, with 12,422 mt or more than half of the imports coming from Russia. Although imports from Ukraine almost doubled to 6,825 mt during this period, shipments from Canada fell by more than half to 3,003 mt. Accordingly, traders are currently cautious with their offers.

Mustard seed* imports, Germany, in mt

Supplier

2022/23

2023/24

Diff.

Russia

12,464

12,422

-0.3%

Ukraine

3,483

6,825

96.0%

Canada

6,536

3,003

-54.1%

Poland

1,087

661

-39.2%

Czech Republic

2,092

541

-74.1%

Others

1,510

307

-79.7%

Total

27,172

23,759

-12.6%

Federal Statistical Office of Germany / Sep-Feb

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

Possible decline in cultivation

Prices in the Canadian mustard seed market are currently comparatively stable and the experts at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have once again slightly lowered their expectations for the average price for the current season to CAD 1,300/mt. Forecasts for the 2024/2025 season are currently still at CAD 930/mt, but if demand from the EU picks up in the coming months, the estimate could be adjusted quickly.

As the experts at Rayglen Commodities report, growers in Saskatchewan's main growing regions are now starting to make initial preparations for sowing in order to take advantage of the good conditions thanks to the recent rainfall. However, it will only be possible to judge how large the acreage will actually be this year once sowing has been completed. Current forecasts indicate a decline in cultivation.  

Mustard seeds, Canada

2022/23

2023/24

Diff.

2023/24

2024/25

Diff.

Area sown (ha)

225,000

258,000

14.7%

258,000

240,000

-7.0%

Area harvested (ha)

219,000

251,000

14.6%

251,000

232,000

-7.6%

Yield (mt/ha)

0.74

0.68

-8.1%

0.68

0.78

14.7%

Production (mt)

162,000

171,000

5.6%

171,000

180,000

5.3%

Imports (mt)

11,000

12,000

9.1%

12,000

7,000

-41.7%

Total supplies (mt)

189,000

222,000

17.5%

222,000

257,000

15.8%

Exports (mt)

110,000

110,000

0.0%

110,000

110,000

0.0%

Domestic consumption (mt)

40,000

42,000

5.0%

42,000

42,000

0.0%

Carry-over stocks (mt)

40,000

70,000

75.0%

70,000

105,000

50.0%

Avg price in CAD/mt

2,140

1,300

-39.3%

1,300

930

-28.5%

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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