Quality of western Canadian canola, 2009

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Protein content

The 2009 mean crude protein content (19.9%) is 0.9% lower than the 2008 average (20.8%) and 1.7% lower than the ten-year mean value of 21.6%. The 2009 protein content calculated to an oil-free, 8.5% moisture basis is 38.7% compared to 40.3 % in 2008. In Saskatchewan, protein contents (18.9%) are lower than in Manitoba (21.4%) and Alberta (21.0%). Canola, No. 1 Canada samples from producers across western Canada varied in protein content from 14.7% to 27.6%. The mean protein contents increased in the lower grades of canola.

The mean protein content of canola exports from both Vancouver and Thunder Bay averaged 19.9% in October 2009, 0.8% and 1.5% lower than the 2008-09 mean of 21.7% and 21.4% for Vancouver and Thunder Bay, respectively. The protein content in Vancouver exports should remain near this level for the remainder of the 2009-10 shipping season.

It is to be noted that oil-free protein content also decreased compared to last year results, 38.7% versus 40.3%. This tends to suggest smaller seed size, which could be a result of the cold and difficult growing conditions.

Protein content of 2009 harvest survey samples, by grade and province

	Number of samples	Protein content1 (%)
		mean	minimum	maximum
1 N x 6.25; 8.5% moisture basis
2 Includes part of the Peace River area that is in British Columbia
3 Values are weighted averages based on production by province as estimated by Statistics Canada.
Canola, No. 1 Canada
MB	378	20	16.3	25.2
SK	569	18.9	14.7	27.6
AB2	408	21.1	15.9	27
Western Canada3	1355	19.9	14.7	27.6
Canola, No. 2 Canada
MB	13	21.2	17.4	23.7
SK	11	19.5	16.4	22.5
AB2	69	21	15.5	25.7
Western Canada3	93	20.3	15.5	25.7
Canola, No. 3 Canada
Western Canada3	18	21.2	18.6	27.5
Canola, Sample Canada
Western Canada3	18	18.3	15.3	25.6

Protein content of harvest survey samples, 1990–2009 - Canola, No. 1 Canada

Crop year	Protein content %
1990	21.9
1991	21.7
1992	20.7
1993	19.1
1994	19.9
1995	20.4
1996	20.1
1997	21.2
1998	21.3
1999	20.6
2000	21.0
2001	22.3
2002	23.2
2003	23.3
2004	21.5
2005	20.5
2006	21.0
2007	21.7
2008	20.8
2009	19.9

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