| | 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.
As grass and legume seed sales and movements continues to be very slow, price quotes have started to follow. Almost all grass and legume species price quotes have slowly moved lower, with actual buying of product from growers’ non-existent. Some major crops, like creeping red fescue, is not even being purchased, as warehouse space has become sparse with a lack of seed movement. And, with our Canadian dollar becoming quite strong compared to the US dollar, further erosion of local price quotes has occurred. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, although, for now, very dim. US housing markets have started to show signs of recovery, but this, if it continues, will still take quite a bit of time to reach the grass and legume seed sector.
Creeping red fescue prices have now been pressured down to the 40 to 42 ¢/lb range, with little demand for certified. Many companies are not even buying. The forage grass seeds have been pressured lower, with smooth bromegrass seed quotes in the 35 to 45 ¢/lb range, and meadow bromegrass quotes anywhere from 80 ¢/lb to $1.20/lb, but no one’s buying, and no ones selling! There are some reports of timothy moving, with quotes in 30 to 45 ¢/lb range.
The legume seed sector is still up in the air as well. Much of Manitoba’s alfalfa seed crop was baled, and much of Saskatchewan’s crop remains to be harvested. Harvested fields have reported low yields. Despite this lack of Canadian production, early news out of the US in that their non-dormant alfalfa seed crop came off in good condition. Alfalfa seed quotes are anywhere’s from $1.00 to $1.45/lb. There were lots of clover acres in the prairies this year, resulting in red clover quotes pressured down any where from 50 to 80 ¢/lb. Alsike quotes are 25 to 40 ¢/lb, while sweet clover is 30 to 40 ¢/lb.
With production uncertainty still in the air, expect broad quote ranges for most seed until demand starts to pick up. The annual North American Grass and Legume seed processors get-together begins this upcoming weekend in Kansas City, Missouri, and hopefully, seed movement will get a good kick start as all the worlds processors get together again. Not many are holding their breaths, but who knows…………
 | 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 |
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 |
Nov 3 | 40-45 | 50 | 35-40 | 40-45 | 80-120 | 120-140 | 30-45 | 45-55 | 100-140 | 50-80 | 25-40 | 30-40 |
Prices are quotes only, until actual orders come in, that's when firm pricing is established.
- prices in ¢/lb
Prepared by David Wong, Market Specialist, Alberta Agriculture & Rural Development
Ag-Info Centre 310-3276 |
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