The Western Producer - Produits, offres, nouvelles

Despite below average protein content in the 2009 wheat crop, the Canadian Wheat Board says it will be able to meet demand from traditional high quality customers.

And the marketing agency says supplies of lower protein wheat will provide it with a product to offer to customers who don’t want high protein.

This year’s red spring wheat crop is expected to have a protein level of 13.2 percent, according to figures published by the Canadian Grain Commission Oct. 15.

That’s slightly lower than last year’s 13.4 percent; the previous 10-year average is 13.8 percent.

Bruce Burnett, chief of market analysis for the CWB, said that should present no marketing issues for the board.

“Although we won’t have huge quantities of high protein, we shouldn’t have any problems supplying our high quality, high protein customers,” he said.

He added high protein wheat should fetch a good premium in the market this year.

The overall quality of the 2009 crop will be slightly above average, with 75 to 80 percent of the wheat falling into the 1 CWRS and 2 CWRS grades.