Thursday, October 30, 2014

Durum wheat prices soaring

Prices for durum wheat have doubled and in some cases tripled this year, says Bruce Burnett, weather and crop specialist with the Canadian Wheat Board.

Stocks are tight and the quality of this year’s Prairie harvest is the poorest on record, he told those attending the Cereals of North America conference in Winnipeg.

Only four per cent of the Canadian crop is grading as number one and only 19 per cent is grading number two.

Thirty-seven per cent is grading, 25 per cent number four and 14 per cent number five, Burnett said.

Plenty of rain in Europe also impacted the quality or the durum wheat harvest in France, Italy and Greece.

Canadian durum is world famous as the best for making pasta.