July 7, 2009
CWB sees exports hitting 19 million tonnes in 2008-09
The Canadian Wheat Board is on pace to see its exports of durum, malting quality barley, feed barley and spring wheat hit the 19.0 million tonne level during the 2008-09 crop year, an official with the CWB confirmed.
This would be up from the 17.3 million tonnes exported during the 2007-08 crop year and was also higher than initial 2008-09 projections of 15.3 million, said David Przednowek, CWB senior manager of ocean freight and terminal operations.
The 19.0 million tonnes was expected to consist roughly of 13.6 million of spring wheat, 3.6 million of durum, 1.5 million of malting quality barley and 250,000 of feed barley.
Przednowek said since October shipments have been between 20 to 40 percent more on a monthly basis compared to the 10-year average.
This was linked largely to increased access to rail and ocean freight capacity. That capacity has become available due to the economic downturn.
