An already record large 2023 US canola crop has gotten even bigger.
Friday’s USDA crop production report finalized American canola output for this past year at a new high of 1.88 million tonnes, up slightly from the government’s previous estimate of 1.81 million and 9% above the 2022 crop of 1.73 million.
Most of the year-over-year increase was due to larger seeded and harvested areas. Seeded area was up 6% to 2.34 million acres, while harvested area expanded 7% to 2.32 million acres. Yields were better as well, rising 0.6 bu/acre from the previous year to 35.9 bu/acre. If accurate, that would be the fifth highest national canola yield on record.
Production in North Dakota, the leading canola-producing state, was estimated at a record high 1.57 million tonnes, an increase of 7% from 2022. Planted and harvested area in North Dakota were both up 7% from 2022 and both were record highs. The average yield in the state was pegged at 36.2 bu/acre, down 0.2 bu from 2022.
On the other hand, canola production slumped to record lows in Kansas and Oklahoma. Kansas output plummeted 11-fold to just 200,000 tonnes, while Oklahoma production was more than four times lower at 500,000 tonnes.
Canadian canola production this past year is estimated by Statistics Canada at 18.32 million tonnes, with an average yield of 36.9 bu/acre.
