Organic grain prices adjusting following harvest

By Glen Hallick
Glacier FarmMedia staff

Organic grain prices in Canada were something of a mixed bag in October as the market shifted into the post-harvest period. A common denominator, in Ontario and on the Prairies, was the market becoming well covered for the balance of 2024.

Harro Wehrmann of Wehrmann Grain and Seeds Ltd. said Ontario organic grain prices were mostly “holding steady at a low level” with some harvest pressure still being felt on corn and soybeans.

• RELATED: Organic prices: Late October

“Everything else is either trying to find a market or reacting to a lack of a market,” he commented.

Wehrmann pointed to two crops that were on the rise – edible beans because of a poor harvest and oats due to a lack of supply in Ontario.

Jason Charles of Charles Commodity Consulting stated it’s become rather hard to sell organic yellow peas and cereal grains this fall on the Canadian Prairies.

“You can’t move much because everybody is full to the first of the New Year,” he said noting he was buying yellow peas for December and cereal grains for January.

Charles estimated that organic wheat prices have fallen 20 per cent over the last 12 months. He said the harvest was average but with a high protein level.

Harvest is done, and producers are shopping hard. – Scott Shiels

The story was different for Prairie organic oats and flax.

“Harvest is done, and producers are shopping hard. So we’re seeing lots of samples and getting lots of inquiries on pricing,” commented Scott Shiels of Grain Millers Canada.

“The market has strengthened over the last couple of months. We were in the eight (dollar per bushel range for oats) and we’re in the nines now. That’s a good sign for the producer,” he said.

Shiels noted most organic oat crops were of good quality, producing above average yields.

As for flax, he said the quality of the organic and the conventional crops were among the best he’s seen.

“So we’re looking for that quality to hit those higher prices,” stated Shiels.

Organic Connections is set to mark its 20th year with the 2024 conference and trade show at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon, Sask. from Nov. 6 to 7. Billed as Western Canada’s largest organic conference, it will feature several speakers on topics ranging from wellbeing and farm productivity to navigating the organic marketplace to encouraging the next generation of organic farmers. For more information go to organicconnections.ca.