Canadian farmers say they plan on seeding fewer acres of canola, durum wheat, lentils and soybeans — a shift in planting plans that comes amidst Canada’s growing list of trade feuds.

In its March Principle Field Crop Areas report, Statistics Canada said Wednesday canola acreages were expected to drop by nearly seven per cent (6.6) nationally, to 21.3 million acres in 2019.

“If seeding intentions are realized, this would represent the lowest seeded area of canola since 2016 and 1.6 (per cent) lower than the five-year average of 21.7 million acres,” the report noted. The drop in acres, Statistics Canada said, was because of high canola stocks (crop still in storage) at the end of 2018, “coupled with concerns regarding limited access to China’s canola market, possibly affected anticipated seeding area.

“These factors have contributed to lower than average prices, which may have some farmers considering seeding fewer acres of canola or other crops,” the agency said. “However, resolution of trade concerns or increased canola prices could alter final seeding decisions.”

Canada and China remain embroiled in an ongoing trade dispute over canola exports after Beijing stripped two major Canadian grain companies — Richardson International Ltd. and Glencore Canada’s Viterra — of their canola export licenses earlier this year, citing pest concerns. Chinese importers have also stopped purchasing Canadian canola seed.

Canadian officials have refuted China’s pest claims and have asked a technical delegation led by the President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency be allowed to travel to China to discuss Beijing’s concerns. That travel request has not yet been approved by China.

Acreage declines had been expected in light of the ongoing trade dispute. Earlier this month, Curt Vossen, the president and CEO of Richardson International Ltd. told reporters at an emergency meeting of the House agriculture committee he expected acreages would drop by around five per cent.

Canola is one of the most popular, and profitable, crops grown by Western Canadian farmers. About 40 per cent of the canola and canola products Canada exports go to China, a market that in 2018 was valued at $2.7 billion.

Alberta, Statistics Canada said Wednesday, was expected to see the highest drop in canola acreages, dropping 724,700 acres to a total of 6.1 million — a more than 10 per cent decline in area compared to last year. Meanwhile in Saskatchewan, the country’s biggest canola grower, farmers said they expected to plant 11.7 million acres of canola in 2019, down from 12.4 million acres in 2018.

Expected declines were also reported in Manitoba, where farmers said they planned to plant 3.3 million acres in 2019, compared to 3.4 million.

But canola isn’t the only grain and oilseed crop expected to see reduced acreages this year, the agency said.

Soybean acreages (an oilseed crop that has seen prices slump south of the border thanks, in part, to an ongoing trade war between China and the United States) were also expected to drop by more than 10 per cent (10.7), to 5.6 million acres.

Canada’s national statistics agency said dry conditions in Western Canada the past two years, resulting in lower yields, “may have contributed to some farmers deciding to decrease seeded area of soybeans.” Acreage declines were expected in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba, where farmers were expected to plant fewer soybeans for the second consecutive year.

As for grains, durum wheat acreages were expected to drop by 18.8 per cent to 5.0 million acres — the largest decline since 2010, Statistics Canada wrote. Durum wheat, a key ingredient in pasta, is at the heart of an long-standing trade feud between Canada and Italy that has seen Canadian exports to Italy stall.

Lentil acreages, a key pulse crop currently at the centre of an ongoing trade depute between Canada and India, were also expected to drop. Statistics Canada said farmers planned to plant about 3.4 million acres of lentils this year — down nearly 10 per cent compared to the year before. The sharpest decline, the agency said, was reported by farmers in Saskatchewan, who expected to plant 3.1 million acres in 2019, down 7.9 per cent from 2018.

A handful of crops did see their planned acreages increase for 2019. Statistics Canada said wheat acreages were expected to rise by nearly four per cent to 25.7 million acres. Spring wheat, in particular, was expected to see an acreage increase of 12.0 per cent to 19.4 million acres compared with the previous year. The biggest jump in acreages was projected in Manitoba, where farmers said they planned to grow 3.3 million acres of wheat — up 12.7 per cent.

Barley acreages were also set to jump. “Larger expected seeded area in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta could push total anticipated area up 10.2 (per cent) to 7.2 million acres in 2019,” Statistics Canada said.