CANOLA SEED COSTS FLUCTUATING

The Farm Input Price Survey reports that prices paid for certified canola
seed purchased in December varied substantially across the province.

According to the survey, the price paid for Certified Roundup Ready Canola
fell by 2.2 per cent from prices reported in November. However, the
difference in prices paid by survey participants was as high as $4.20 per
pound. Although the variance in price range for Certified Liberty Link
Canola was low, the average price rose substantially in December, up 9.6
per cent from November.

Herbicide prices fell in December. Prices paid for the broad leaf weed
control product Odyssey fell by 5.5 per cent and prices for the grassy weed
control product Puma Super 120 dropped by 5.3 per cent from the June report.

Prices paid by survey participants for fertilizer rose significantly, with
the price of urea increasing by 4.7 per cent from prices reported for
November purchases. Compared to prices paid in December 2001, the price
paid for sulphate rose by 4.0 per cent and liquid nitrogen rose by 12.2 per
cent.

Price changes for livestock items varied. The price paid for cobalt salt
block rose by 1.3 per cent, and the price of Ivomec increased by 1.2 per
cent from November. The price paid for one-to-one minerals in December
fell by 2.9 per cent from November.

The Farm Input Price Survey Report is produced monthly by Saskatchewan
Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization to provide producers with
current information about prices paid for key crop and livestock production
inputs.

The data used in the report is collected from a network of Saskatchewan
farmers located throughout the province, with survey data gathered directly
from producers' transactions. The monthly Farm Input Price Report is
available on the Web at www.agr.gov.sk.ca/statistics/surveys.asp.

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For more information, contact:

Brian Machin
Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-5955