Canola has been one of the crops that have benefitted greatly from the better growing conditions this year, with yields and production improving drastically.

Statistics Canada estimated that Saskatchewan would see a 43.2 per cent increase in production year-over-year to 9.7 million tonnes, while yields are projected to increase by 50.8 per cent to 37.7 bushels per acre.

From that same report, canola production in Alberta is expected to increase by 49.1 per cent to 6.5 million tonnes, along with another projected increase in yields by 53.3 per cent to 44.3 bushels per acre.

While that seems like a great deal for plenty of canola growers this year, there are still plenty of struggles to be had in 2022 for those growing the crop.

Sask Canola Policy Manager Dale Leftwich says that his province has been split between a too-moist east side and a dry west side.

"Saskatchewan has fewer drought areas than what they had last year, but there are still areas where the drought was still significant, and some folks do not have as good of a crop as they should. Then there are also areas in the southeast that have gotten an awful lot of rain, and then have a lot of wet areas."

Alberta is similar to the western side of Saskatchewan, though some northern regions seem to be doing better.

Even as yields and production rise, they're being partially held back by fewer acres being seeded in Alberta and Saskatchewan, which have dropped by 2.8 and 5.1 per cent respectively.

Leftwich says that's mainly due to farmers having had more choice at the start of the gorwing season.

"In spring the price of various crops was very good compared to other years. The price of canola was good, the price of wheat was good, and peas and lentils and other things as well. So Farmers like to make sure that they have good rotations. I think that in that they'd have other options that would pay reasonably well, some people decided to grow not as much canola as they would have in other years."

Some shortages in production were felt in other sectors, and Leftwich feels that those will be bouncing back after this year.

"Some areas that have gotten a lot of rain are not the traditional mustard growing areas, for example. There are certain crops that were very short that Saskatchewan produces the vast majority of and canola was certainly affected badly last year by the drought and certainly saw some very low yields on a lot of acres."