Brown mustard. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Mustard bids drop with demand, harvest progress

CNS Canada — Mustard spot prices are trending lower, with limited demand for the commodity as harvest progresses. Weather conditions may have curbed yield potential, to an extent, though production is still expected to be large, according to one market participant. Bids for mustard have dropped from the levels seen in July and August into […] Read more

Photo: File

Mustard crops in good condition despite hail, prices squeezed

CNS Canada – Western Canada’s mustard crops are in mostly good condition, one industry participant says, while new-crop prices for the commodity have moved lower. “I would say throughout the growing area it really looks quite good, almost exceptional as an average,” said Walter Dyck, general manager, seed division at Olds Products. He added that rain has […] Read more


The diamondback moth is one of the more common insect pests that can reduce yield in mustard crops.

Weeds, disease and insects in mustard

In the final part of a 4-part series on mustard agronomy, Ross McKenzie turns his attention to pests

Weed control is generally my greatest concern when growing mustard. Weed competition can greatly reduce mustard yields by competing for available light, nutrients and moisture. Although mustard seedlings are not very competitive with weeds, there are ways that growers can reduce the early effects of weeds: burndown of weeds in fall and/or early spring before […] Read more

Managing mustard fertilizer

Managing mustard fertilizer

Part 3 of this 4-part series on mustard agronomy covers mustard's fertilizer needs

In the last issue of Grainews, I discussed the nitrogen needs of mustard. Now, let’s turn to the other fertilizers mustard requires. Phosphorus (P) About 80 per cent of brown and dark brown soils are deficient in phosphorus (P). Soil P availability to plants can be assessed by soil sampling and testing to determine plant-available […] Read more


field of flowering mustard

Mustard fertilizer management

In Part 2 of a 4-part series on mustard agronomy, Ross McKenzie talks fertilizer

In the last issue of Grainews, I discussed agronomic management of growing mustard. In this issue we’ll discuss nitrogen requirements; in the next issue, we’ll discuss the other nutrients mustard needs to achieve optimum production. Mustard grown on cereal stubble almost always needs nitrogen fertilizer, frequently needs phosphate fertilizer and occasionally needs sulphur fertilizer. Soil […] Read more

Managing mustard on the Prairies

Managing mustard on the Prairies

In Part 1 of a 4-Part series on growing mustard, Ross McKenzie looks at basic agronomy

Mustard is one of my favourite crops to grow on dry land in the drier regions of the Prairies. It is a great oilseed crop to include in a diverse crop rotation, which helps to disrupt pest cycles, increase moisture use efficiency and increase farm income. Canada is a world leader in condiment mustard seed […] Read more


Yellow mustard. (Photo courtesy Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission)

Low acres, high prices expected to continue for mustard

CNS Canada –– Canadian mustard production will likely see an upward bump in 2016, according to one buyer, but seeded acres won’t increase exponentially, despite strong prices. “It’s not going to be a big bounce-back year like we’ve had in the past whenever spot prices have increased like they have,” said Walter Dyck of Olds […] Read more

Sask. mustard: small but mighty

Sask. mustard: small but mighty

There 
used to be 
more growers 
out there

2015 was a challenging year for many crops across the Prairies, and mustard was no exception. But Saskatchewan growers say the outlook is good. Although mustard acres decreased in Saskatchewan in 2015 — by as much as 100,000 acres, to around 300,000 seeded acres in the province — mustard prices remain high, ranging from 30 […] Read more



Brown mustard. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Mustard prices still high heading into harvest

CNS Canada –– The mustard market has been moving steadily higher in recent months, reacting to projections for reduced yield from Statistics Canada, which could spur selling straight out of harvest, one buyer says. Mustard prices gained throughout July and August, said Walter Dyck, a buyer for Olds Products. That’s largely due to estimates from […] Read more