November 11, 2014

Canada’s durum wheat crop, which has already been cited as being the worst on record, has been downgraded even further. Less than 1 million tons, or 20% of the hard wheat variety used to make pasta will be high enough quality to make the Canada winter amber durum (CWAD) level 1 or CWAD level 2 quality levels, while 70% or more of the crop will be level 3 or below. Canada’s overall wheat crop has been hit by excessive rains in both the crop development phase and just prior to harvest creating outbreaks of disease such as fusarium according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture bureau in Ontario.  Of the main wheat crop, only 50% will qualify for the Canada western red wheat (CWRS) level 1 or level 2 grades of quality. The condition of the Canadian crop combined with a poor durum crop in Italy has caused durum prices to climb 23% this month to €430 per ton at Port La Nouvelle in France according to Agritel, and caused CWB to raise its forecast for durum wheat prices for the second time in two weeks on November 6^th to CAN$489 per ton.

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