The Crop Planning Guide and Crop Planner Calculator provide information that can help estimate the income and cost of production for different crops in the various soil zones in the province.
The detailed calculations in this guide are based on the inputs and returns associated with attaining a target yield in the 80th percentile for each soil zone. Actual costs and yields on each farm will differ due to the condition and type of equipment, the selection of crop protection products and other inputs, agronomic practices, soil class and weather conditions. Producers are also expected to set their own target yields and costs.
Changes to the 2024 Guide
The updates to this guide include changes to land investment. We are now assuming 85 per cent is owned and 15 per cent is financed. This has changed from producers financing 100 per cent of the crop in past years.
Based on the guide’s calculations (where the 80-percentile yield is achieved), 16 major crops included in the guide provide positive returns over variable expenses. In addition, nine crops in the black soil zone, seven crops in dark brown and five crops in the brown soil zones achieve positive returns over total expenses.
Ministry regional specialists are also available to provide advice about appropriate agronomic practices and cost assumptions.
Download the complete version of the 2024 Crop Planning Guide