Glacier FarmMedia — Strong flaxseed prices should encourage more planted acres to the crop this spring, but any increases in area will also depend on the price relationship canola.
Cash prices for flax across Western Canada ranged from C$13.91 to C$16.48 per bushel delivered as of Jan. 15, reported Prairie Ag Hotwire. That compares with canola bids of C$13.65 to C$14.01/bu.
Trade deal could boost new crop prices
The recent Canada/China trade deal that reduces China’s tariffs on their imports of Canadian canola is unlikely to have any effect on old crop flax prices, said Scott Shiels grain procurement manager for Grain Millers Canada in Yorkton, Sask.
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However, Shield said “it could affect flax pricing for next year.”
Flax plantings
With Prairie farmers making their plans for spring seeding, Shiels said it’s likely flax acres will increase in 2026/27.
In 2025/26, more than 620,000 acres of flax went into the ground, up from about 504,000 in 2024/25, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. That produced 454,000 tonnes of flax this fall compared to 258,000 the previous year due in part to a stronger yield.
Farmers need premium
However, Shiels cautioned that any increase in canola prices don’t necessarily guarantee higher prices for flax.
“If canola rallies to $16/bu. then $16 flax isn’t good anymore,” he said. “We tend to want to see a couple of bucks per bushel premium compared to the canola market to get that flax into the ground.”
Shiels said Canada needs to grow more flax as to cut down on the amount imported. AAFC estimated 8,000 tonnes were brought in during 2024/25 and that increased to 10,000 tonnes in 2025/26.
“I’d rather see our Prairie farmers reaping the benefits from that,” he said.
