Quality of western Canadian canola 2021

Chlorophyll content

In 2021, average chlorophyll content for Canola, No. 1 Canada harvest samples was 8 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), 9, mg/kg and 12 mg/kg in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River, respectively (Table 2). The overall average for Canola, No. 1 Canada was 10 mg/kg which is identical to that observed for the 2020 harvest (10 mg/kg) and similar to the 5-year average of 11 mg/kg (Table 1). This is the lowest average chlorophyll content observed in the last 10 years (Figure 11). Individual producer samples of Canola, No. 1 Canada showed variations in chlorophyll content due to variable growing conditions. Chlorophyll content values of Canola, No. 1 Canada samples from Manitoba ranged from 4 to 29 mg/kg, Saskatchewan values ranged from 4 to 36 mg/kg and Alberta values ranged from 4 to 37 mg/kg (Table 2). Historical chlorophyll content means vary greatly from year to year (Figure 11) due to the variability in growing conditions. High chlorophyll content is usually related to delays in seeding due to cold temperatures and rain, poor growing conditions due to lack of heat units or early frost; none of which occurred in 2021. Crop district 6 from Alberta-Peace River showed the highest chlorophyll content average at 19 mg/kg.

Chlorophyll levels for Canola, No. 2 Canada samples (Table 2) averaged 19 mg/kg, which is much lower than that observed in 2020 harvest samples (30 mg/kg). Samples graded Canola, No. 3 Canada and Canola, Sample Canada had an average chlorophyll content of 37 mg/kg and 12 mg/kg, respectively. This is much lower than what was observed in 2020 (60 mg/kg and 43 mg/kg).

To be graded Canola, No. 1 Canada, samples must contain no more than 2.00% distinctly green (DGR) seeds. The average DGR content in Canola, No. 1 Canada samples was 0.61% (0.48% in 2020), 0.50% (0.41% in 2020) and 0.74% (0.57% in 2020) for Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-Peace River, respectively.

The chlorophyll content of Canadian canola exports is affected by DGR and dockage content. The average DGR content was 0.9%, 0.7% and 0.6% for December 2021 CC canola exports, August to November 2021 CC canola exports, and August to December 2021 NCC canola exports, respectively (Table 4). The average chlorophyll content was slightly higher for the NCC export samples with a slightly lower DGR content (0.6%) and higher dockage content (2.8%) than the CC export and the harvest samples (Table 4).

Figure 11  Chlorophyll content of seed (mg/kg, as is moisture content) for Canola, No. 1 Canada