Quality of western Canadian barley in 2023

This report presents production statistics and harvest quality data for western Canadian barley grown in 2023. Barley samples were submitted to the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program by producers and grain companies. Quality data is compiled from the results of analytical tests performed in the Grain Research Laboratory and will be updated as more samples are received.

Harvest quality data

Table 1.1  Quality parameters of barley varieties in western Canada received through the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program before selection for any specific purposes

Data as of September 8, 2023

Malting barley variety Grade Number of samples Protein content,  % db Test weight, kg/hL
Mean SD Mean SD
AAC Connect No. 1 CW 11 11.7 0.4 64.7 1.1
AAC Synergy No. 1 CW 10 12.4 1.1 64.2 0.7
CDC Copeland No. 1 CW 5 12.7 0.9 64.2 1.4
CDC Churchill No. 1 CW 3 12.3 1.5 65.7 1.6
CDC Fraser No. 1 CW 3 12.9 0.8 63.6 0.1
Newdale No. 1 CW 3 10.9 1.4 64.0 1.2
General purpose barley variety Grade Number of samples Protein content,  % db Test weight, kg/hL
Mean SD Mean SD
CDC Austenson No. 1 CW 11 13.0 2.0 64.2 0.9
CDC Coalition No. 1 CW 3 11.7 0.2 65.5 1.8
Conlon No. 1 CW 6 13.8 1.1 66.7 1.8

Production statistics

Table 2.1  Area (million hectares) seeded with barley in Canada
Location 2023Footnote 1 2022 10-year averageFootnote 2
Manitoba 0.168 0.171 0.157
Saskatchewan 1.135 1.126 1.096
Alberta 1.552 1.438 1.398
British Columbia 0.027 0.026 0.024
Western Canada 2.881 2.761 2.676
Canada 2.963 2.851 2.797

Table 2.1 Notes

Table 2.1 Note 1

Source: Statistics Canada, estimated as of September 8, 2023

Return to table 2.1 note 1

Table 2.1 2

10-year average from 2013 to 2022

Return to table 2.1 note 2
Figure 2.1  Annual comparison of area (million hectares) seeded with barley in western Canada
Description to follow
Graph data
Area seeded with barley (million hectares)
Year Western Canada Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba
2013 2.75 1.50 1.02 0.21
2014 2.28 1.32 0.82 0.13
2015 2.57 1.42 0.95 0.18
2016 2.58 1.38 1.00 0.17
2017 2.22 1.15 0.94 0.11
2018 2.50 1.26 1.09 0.13
2019 2.88 1.44 1.28 0.14
2020 2.94 1.48 1.26 0.17
2021 3.26 1.57 1.50 0.17
2022 2.76 1.44 1.13 0.17
2023Footnote 1 2.88 1.55 1.14 0.17
Table 2.2  Barley production (million tonnes) in Canada
Location 2023Footnote 1 2022 10-year averageFootnote 2
Manitoba 0.529 0.657 0.555
Saskatchewan 2.540 3.551 3.328
Alberta 4.453 5.381 4.553
British Columbia 0.063 0.077 0.062
Western Canada 7.585 9.666 8.498
Canada 7.842 9.987 8.886

Table 2.2 Notes

Table 2.2 Note 1

Source: Statistics Canada, estimated as of September 8, 2023

Return to table 2.2 note 1

Table 2.2 2

10-year average from 2013 to 2022

Return to table 2.2 note 2
Figure 2.2  Annual comparison of barley production (million tonnes) in western Canada
Description to follow
Graph data
Production of barley (million tonnes)
Year Western Canada Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba
2013 9.80 5.55 3.41 0.76
2014 6.70 4.13 2.17 0.36
2015 7.82 4.29 2.86 0.60
2016 8.42 4.40 3.38 0.59
2017 7.52 3.91 3.14 0.44
2018 8.00 4.00 3.44 0.50
2019 10.00 4.96 4.45 0.53
2020 10.42 5.28 4.39 0.69
2021 6.61 3.65 2.50 0.44
2022 9.67 5.38 3.55 0.66
2023Footnote 1 7.59 4.45 2.54 0.53
Table 2.3  Average barley yield (bushels per acre) in Canada
Location 2023Footnote 1 2022 10-year averageFootnote 2
Manitoba 63.9 74.3 71.6
Saskatchewan 45.1 63.4 61.6
Alberta 61.0 75.9 69.4
British Columbia 49.4 59.5 57.7
Western Canada 54.6 70.5 66.4
Canada 54.8 70.4 66.0

Table 2.3 Notes

Table 2.3 Note 1

Source: Statistics Canada, estimated as of September 8, 2023

Return to table 2.3 note 1

Table 2.3 2

10-year average from 2013 to 2022

Return to table 2.3 note 2
Figure 2.3  Annual comparison of average barley yield (bushel per acre) in western Canada
Description to follow
Graph data
Average barley yield (bushels per acre)
Year Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta
2013 75.5 66.1 75.6
2014 58.2 53.7 66.3
2015 68.8 60.7 68.3
2016 72.0 69.8 75.9
2017 80.4 66.4 71.8
2018 75.3 62.7 66.8
2019 76.9 69.3 72.4
2020 79.9 68.7 74.0
2021 54.8 35.5 47.4
2022 74.3 63.4 75.9
2023Footnote 1 63.9 45.1 61.0
Figure 2.4  Distribution of barley classes as a percentage (%) of area seeded with barley in western Canada from 2018 to 2023
Description to follow
Graph data
% of area seeded with barley
Year Malting Food General purpose Not specified
2018 56.3 1.9 36.5 5.3
2019 55.1 2.2 37.3 5.4
2020 53.7 2.4 38.5 5.3
2021 50.4 2.3 42.3 5.0
2022 48.2 2.4 44.3 5.1
2023 48.4 1.8 45.4 4.4

Table 2.4  Distribution of malting barley cultivars as a percentage (%) of area seeded with malting barley in western Canada in 2023Footnote3

Malting barley cultivars, 2-rowed Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Western Canada
AAC Synergy 11.73 18.64 1.65 32.19
CDC Copeland 10.15 11.70 0.31 22.33
AAC Connect 3.77 6.99 1.39 12.30
Sirish 11.49 0.34 0.08 12.12
CDC Fraser 1.29 4.77 0.29 6.35
AC Metcalfe 1.73 1.61 0.23 3.72
CDC Churchill 1.73 1.17 0.15 3.05
CDC Copper 1.09 0.16 0.07 1.36
CDC Bow 0.56 0.25 0.03 0.86
Bill Coors 100 0.53 0.07 0.00 0.60
Cerveza 0.39 0.13 0.03 0.55
Newdale 0.12 0.19 0.23 0.54
CDC Goldstar 0.00 0.35 0.00 0.35
Bentley 0.23 0.03 0.00 0.26
AB Brewnet 0.20 0.00 0.00 0.20
CDC Platinum Star 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.13
Harrington 0.05 0.04 0.00 0.09
CDC Kendall 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.08
Other 0.18 0.04 0.00 0.22
Total 45.25 46.69 4.44 97.29
Malting barley cultivars, 6-rowed Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Western Canada
Legacy 0.30 1.56 0.03 1.89
Celebration 0.00 0.14 0.32 0.46
Tradition 0.00 0.00 0.12 0.12
Other 0.09 0.12 0.03 0.24
Total 0.39 1.81 0.50 2.71
Table 2.5  Distribution of barley cultivars as a percentage (%) of area seeded with general purpose and food barley in western Canada in 2023Footnote3
General purpose and food barley 2-rowed cultivars Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Western Canada
CDC Austenson 16.25 15.84 5.44 37.95
Brahma 7.75 0.15 0.00 8.04
Esma 6.45 0.19 0.71 7.38
Oreana 4.98 0.80 0.04 5.82
Claymore 2.47 2.60 0.32 5.40
CDC Maverick 1.53 2.99 0.14 4.67
Altorado 3.70 0.92 0.00 4.62
Canmore (F) 3.26 0.23 0.00 3.81
Conlon 2.04 0.19 1.52 3.75
Xena 2.75 0.14 0.00 2.88
Champion 2.22 0.52 0.04 2.78
AB Advantage 1.05 0.90 0.04 2.03
CDC Coalition 1.97 0.00 0.00 1.97
CDC Cowboy 0.88 0.82 0.00 1.70
AB Cattlelac 0.81 0.32 0.14 1.27
AB Hague 0.45 0.51 0.00 0.96
AB Prime 0.51 0.00 0.00 0.51
KWS Kellie 0.47 0.00 0.00 0.47
AB Wrangler 0.24 0.16 0.00 0.41
Ponoka 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.30
LG Diablo 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.28
Gadsby 0.26 0.00 0.00 0.26
Richer 0.00 0.00 0.26 0.26
Seebe 0.26 0.00 0.00 0.26
Amisk 0.14 0.10 0.00 0.24
CDC Thompson 0.24 0.00 0.00 0.24
AB Tofield 0.22 0.00 0.00 0.22
AC Rosser 0.09 0.12 0.00 0.21
CDC Trey 0.15 0.00 0.00 0.15
AB Standswell 0.14 0.00 0.00 0.14
Other 0.64 0.21 0.09 0.99
Total 62.58 27.73 9.06 100
Figure 2.5a  Comparison of area seeded with malting cultivars in western CanadaFootnote3
Description to follow
Graph data
% of area seeded with malting barley in western Canada
Year CDC Copeland AC Metcalfe AAC Synergy AAC Connect Sirish
2014 29.81 38.87 0.21 NS Footnote4 NS
2015 35.38 38.50 0.84 NS NS
2016 44.70 34.20 5.19 0.01 NS
2017 48.76 32.04 7.43 0.11 NS
2018 46.31 29.79 11.22 0.77 0.02
2019 44.03 23.70 19.20 2.06 0.33
2020 42.44 17.66 22.54 5.19 1.58
2021 34.69 11.15 28.08 8.62 4.84
2022 31.20 9.20 28.50 9.70 7.60
2023 22.30 3.72 32.19 12.30 12.12
Figure 2.5b  Comparison of area seeded with malting cultivars in western CanadaFootnote3
Description to follow
Graph data
% of area seeded with malting barley in western Canada
Year CDC Bow CDC Fraser CDC Copper CDC Churchill BC Coors
2016 0.01 NS Footnote4 NS NS NS
2017 0.26 0.01 NS NS NS
2018 0.91 0.03 0.01 NS NS
2019 2.01 0.53 0.03 NS 0.05
2020 2.71 1.67 0.12 0.02 0.15
2021 2.69 3.28 0.92 0.26 0.25
2022 1.80 3.80 1.30 0.90 0.61
2023 0.86 6.35 1.36 3.05 0.60
Figure 2.6a  Comparison of area seeded with general purpose and food barley cultivars in western CanadaFootnote3
Description to follow
Graph data
% of area seeded with general purpose and food barley in western Canada
Year CDC Austenson Brahma Oreana Claymore Canmore CDC Maverick Esma
2016 34.40 6.80 0.01 0.02 1.23 1.28 NS Footnote4
2017 35.23 11.15 0.07 0.19 3.27 2.07 NS
2018 38.19 9.66 0.42 1.88 4.65 3.02 NS
2019 40.42 10.91 2.48 2.52 5.54 3.68 NS
2020 42.90 11.00 4.10 4.69 5.70 3.86 NS
2021 46.10 10.63 7.12 6.04 5.04 3.49 0.27
2022 41.45 9.43 6.83 5.88 5.12 4.87 2.47
2023 37.95 8.04 5.82 5.40 3.81 4.67 7.38
Figure 2.6b  Comparison of area seeded with general purpose and food barley cultivars in western CanadaFootnote3
Description to follow
Graph data
% of area seeded with general purpose and food barley in western Canada
Year AB Cattlelac AB Advantage AB Prime AB Hague Altorado Champion CDC Coalition CDC Cowboy
2019 0.13 0.01 NS Footnote4 NS NS 6.64 5.03 2.74
2020 0.75 0.07 NS NS 0.03 5.34 4.70 1.86
2021 1.00 0.76 0.02 0.01 1.11 3.53 3.65 1.46
2022 1.35 1.33 0.06 0.13 2.21 3.57 2.81 1.77
2023 1.27 2.03 0.51 0.96 4.62 2.78 1.97 1.70
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