| | Note: prices provided are normally given as grower prices, quoted by processors to growers after cleaning and dockage. However, with quotes now not being offered by many companies, last quotes may be provided.
Like last month, the last six months, and now, for the last year, the grass and legume seed industry is just stumbling along. Demand for new seed is virtually non-existent, making price quotes hard to obtain. With the economic woes still in the background, demand for grass and legume seed still has not materialized to any degree. Movement is slow, and most processors are only operating one shift on their equipment. And with harvest completed for many crops, and harvest continuing for others, the yearly harvest price pressures have compounded the overall grass and legume seed picture.
With slow movement and another year’s production added into the supply picture, storage and usage will become big concerns in the upcoming months. There will be plentiful short term supply around, but with decreased acres, longer term supplies may be lacking. However, we’ll have to wait a while for this picture to unfold.
Creeping red fescue prices have now been pressured down to the 40 to 43 ¢/lb range, with little demand for certified. The forage grass seeds are not faring much better, with smooth bromegrass seed quotes in the 40 to 45 ¢/lb range, while meadow bromegrass is anywheres from 80 ¢/lb to $1.20/lb, but no one’s buying, and no ones selling! Timothy remains in the 30 to 40 ¢/lb.
The legume seed sector is still up in the air as well, as these longer maturing crops have all yet to be harvested. Alfalfa seed quotes are anywheres from $1.00 to $1.45/lb, while red clover is any where from 65 to 80 ¢/lb. Alsike quotes are 40 to 45 ¢/lb, while sweet clover is 30 to 40 ¢/lb.
But once again, with harvest pressure, demand uncertainty and good supplies, price quotes are all over the map right now.
Grass and Legume Seed Quotes
 | Creeping Red Fescue | Boreal C R Fescue | Smooth Brome grass | Carlton Smooth Brome grass | Meadow Brome grass | Fleet Meadow Brome grass | Timothy | Climax Timothy | Alfalfa | Red Clover | Alsike Clover | Sweet Clover |
| Common #1 - Min 97% Pure, 85% Germ | Cert #1 | Common #1 | Cert #1 | Common #1 | Cert #1 | Common #1 | Cert #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 | Common #1 |
Feb 5-08 | 50 | 60 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35+ | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35 | 25-30 |
Mar 11 | 52-55 | 60 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35-40 | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35-37 | 25-30 |
Apr 1 | 55 | 60-70 | 130-140 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 190 | 35-40 | 55-60 | 120-130 | 85-100 | 35-37 | 25-30 |
May 6 | 60 | 65-75 | 120-135 | 140-150 | 160-170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 55-65 | 115-130 | 85-100 | 23-40 | 25-30 |
June 3 | 62-65 | 70-75 | 120-130 | 130-145 | 160-170 | 170-190 | 50 | 60-65 | 100-120 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
July 8 | 62-65 | 65-70 | 100-120 | 110-120 | 150-160 | 170-190 | 50 | 60-65 | 100-125 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
Aug 5 | 65-68 | 80-90 | 85-110 | 110-120 | 150-160 | 170-190 | 50 | 65-70 | 100-125 | 85-100 | 35-45 | 30 |
Sept 2 | 65-68 | 80-85 | 55-65 | 65-70 | 150-170 | 170-190 | 50-55 | 65-75 | 100-125 | 90-110 | 45-50 | 45-55 |
Sept 29 | 65 | 80 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 165-170 | 170-190 | 50 | 65-70 | 120-140 | 100-110 | 50-60 | 40-50 |
Nov 4 | 62-65 | 75-80 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 165-170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 65-70 | 120-130 | 100-115 | 45-50 | 40-50 |
Dec 2 | 60-62 | 70-75 | 55-60 | 65-70 | 160-170 | 170-190 | 45-50 | 55-70 | 120-140 | 100-115 | 45-50 | 40-50 |
Jan 5-09 | 60-62 | 65-75 | 45-60 | 60-70 | 160-170 | 170-190 | 40-50 | 50-65 | 120-150 | 110-125 | 40-50 | 35-50 |
Feb 3 | 55-60 | 65-75 | 45-60 | 60-70 | 160-165 | 170-190 | 40-45 | 50-65 | 120-150 | 115-125 | 40-50 | 35-50 |
Mar 3 | 50-60 | 60-70 | 45-55 | 55-65 | 155-165 | 170-180 | 40-50 | 55-60 | 120-140 | 105-115 | 40-50 | 35-50 |
Mar 31 | 45-50 | 50-60 | 45-50 | 55-65 | 155-165 | 170-180 | 40-45 | 45-55 | 120-130 | 80-110 | 35-40 | 35-40 |
May 4 | 40-45 | 50-55 | 45-50 | 55-60 | 150-160 | 160-170 | 40 | 45-55 | 100-125 | 80-100 | 35-40 | 35-40 |
June 2 | 40-45 | 50-55 | 40-50 | 50-60 | 150-160 | 160-170 | 40 | 45-55 | 100-125 | 80-100 | 35-40 | 35-40 |
July 7 | 40-45 | 50-55 | 40-50 | 50-60 | 150-160 | 160-170 | 40 | 45-55 | 100-125 | 80-100 | 35-40 | 35-40 |
Aug 4 | 42-45 | 50-55 | 40-50 | 50-60 | 130-140 | 140-160 | 35-40 | 45-55 | 100-130 | 80-100 | 35-45 | 35-40 |
Sept 1 | 40-45 | 50-52 | 40-45 | 45-50 | 120-130 | 140-150 | 30-40 | 45-55 | 100-130 | 60-80 | 40-45 | 30-40 |
Oct 6 | 40-43 | 50 | 40-45 | 45-48 | 80-120 | 100-140 | 30-40 | 45-55 | 90-140 | 65-80 | 40 | 35-40 |
Prices are quotes only, until actual orders come in, that's when firm pricing is established
- prices in ¢/lb
last updated Oct 7, 2009
Prepared by David Wong, Market Specialist, Alberta Agriculture & Rural Development
Ag-Info Centre 310-3276 |
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