Canadian Oats: Production, Trade, and Market Dynamics in the 2020s

Canada remains the largest exporter of oats globally, contributing approximately 63% of the world’s oat exports in the 2025–26 marketing year. On average, Canadian annual oat production is around 3.7 million tonnes, with Saskatchewan alone accounting for nearly 50% of that output.

In 2022, Canadian oat exports reached 1.26 million tonnes, valued at approximately US $445 million, with the United States receiving about 96% of Canadian oat export volumes. Overall, 81% of Canada’s oat exports go to the U.S., representing 56% of the global oat import market.

Domestically, oats are used across several segments: the feed market, human consumption (milling), and seed, as well as the high-end performance or pony oats for racehorses. While precise percentages for each category aren’t always current, feed use remains predominant—roughly 500,000–550,000 tonnes annually. By comparison, only modest shares likely go to human consumption and seed use, echoing historic estimates of around 4% each.

The horse-feed niche, especially “performance oats,” continues to demand the highest quality: oats that are plump, bright, and of high-test weight, typically at or above the Canadian Grain Commission’s No. 1 grade standard. These grains are often shipped raw in bulk or bagged, with the bagged varieties undergoing extra processing—double re-cleaning and clipping—to boost weight and consistency. This processing produces fine by-products like dust and screenings, which are also commercially sold.

The 2023/24 marketing year saw oat exports grow by 16%, from 2.3 million tonnes (as of July 31, 2022) to 2.7 million tonnes (as of July 31, 2023). Prices remain volatile: farm-gate oat prices hit record-per-tonne highs in 2022 (e.g., $625/t in Manitoba, $617/t in Saskatchewan), though they have since moderated.

Looking forward, planting intentions for oats are up by 2.7% in 2025–26, and overall output for grains (including oats) is expected to rise, suggesting modest increases in both domestic use (especially livestock and horse feed) and exports.
Canadian Oats: Production, Trade, and Market Dynamics in the 2020s

Wheat Production: A Global Agricultural Essential

Wheat production is a cornerstone of global agriculture, providing a staple food for billions of people worldwide. As the second most-produced cereal after maize, wheat is cultivated on every continent except Antarctica. In 2021, global wheat production reached approximately 771 million tonnes, highlighting its critical role in feeding the global population.

Wheat thrives in temperate climates with moderate rainfall, which makes regions like North America, Europe, and parts of Asia prime areas for its cultivation. Countries such as China, India, Russia, and the United States are among the top producers, contributing significantly to the global supply. Wheat’s adaptability also enables it to be grown in diverse environments, from the plains of the Midwest in the United States to the fertile fields of Northern Europe and the steppes of Russia. The crop is divided into two main types: winter wheat and spring wheat. Winter wheat, sown in the fall, has a longer growing season and is harvested in the summer. Spring wheat, planted in the spring, grows quickly and is harvested in late summer or fall. This versatility allows for staggered harvests, helping stabilize global food supplies.

The production process involves several critical stages, including soil preparation, sowing, irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. Advances in agricultural technology, such as the development of drought-resistant seed varieties and precision farming techniques, have significantly improved wheat yields. Precision farming, for example, uses GPS technology and data analysis to optimize planting density, fertilizer application, and irrigation, ensuring that resources are used efficiently. Despite these advances, challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity pose significant threats to wheat production. Extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, can devastate crops, while unsustainable farming practices have led to the depletion of fertile soils in some regions.

To combat these challenges, many farmers and researchers are adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Techniques such as crop rotation, conservation tillage, and integrated pest management help maintain soil health and reduce the need for chemical inputs. These methods not only increase yields but also minimize environmental damage, ensuring that wheat remains a critical food source for future generations.
Wheat Production: A Global Agricultural Essential

Production of cornstarch

In producing cornstarch, the corn is inspected and cleaned, then place in vats, where it is steeped in warm water containing a small concentration of sulfur dioxide for about 40 hr, to begin breaking the starch and protein bonds.

The kernel swells to more than double the size and increases its moisture content from about 15% to 45%. The softened kernels are next run through an attrition mill to break up the kernels.

If not previously degerminated the steeped kernels are passed through mills that separate the germ and loosen the hull. The germ is removed by density separation in a cyclone.

The mass is then passed through tanks of water where the germs (being lighter) float and are skimmed off. The remaining endosperm, containing starch, corn gluten and hulls is then finely ground in steel mills.

The finely ground material is then passed through sifters to remove hulls, the starch and gluten passing through. The starch is separate from gluten by centrifugation. The starch-gluten suspension is concentrated by centrifugation and the higher and lower densities of gluten and starch facilitate centrifugal separation, again in a cyclone.

The gluten is dried and the starch is washed and dewatered. With hydrocyclones and a centrifuge the starch settles and separates from the water and fibers.

The starch fraction is finally dried to yield the familiar cornstarch. Cornstarch can be used as such in manufacture foods or be further converted into corn syrup by the hydrolytic action of acid or starch-splitting enzymes.
Production of cornstarch