Durum acreage up by 16.2 per cent

Global durum production declined last year, then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and pasta products flew off grocery shelves around the world.

That has prompted Canada’s Prairie farmers to increase acreage by 16.2 per cent.

But overall wheat acreage for Canada increased by only 1.5 per cent to 25 million acres, reported Statistics Canada.

Of the major durum exporters, Canada is the only country where durum production is rising; it’s up six per cent from the five-year average.