The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan presented an online survey in an endeavour to accumulate data in regards to the effects of COVID-19 on Saskatchewan鈥檚 agricultural industry. A total of 262 responses in the association鈥檚 initial survey were collected from March 25 to April 5. APAS will continue to revise the survey questions and gather more data on a persistent basis during the pandemic. An updated survey will be released every Monday at apas.ca/survey.
When asked to depict their operations, 206 participants (of 261 total) said their farms were grains and oilseeds undertakings, 120 also chose beef and 42 respondents selected the other operations category.
Interruptions in fuel and fertilizer purchases or deliveries were common issues with 116 respondents of 262 in total indicating producers were having problems amassing supplies. In the preliminary APAS survey, 28 per cent of respondents reported interruptions in agronomy-related services. Further, 27 per cent of those surveyed noted there were interferences in procuring fuel and 23 per cent of the participants observed disruptions in fertilizer purchases. 聽聽聽
A consequence of the pandemic might result in Saskatchewan鈥檚 producers accumulating higher overhead costs. Although 59 per cent of the contributors in the first APAS survey said the prices of their inputs haven鈥檛 increased as of yet, 41 per cent reported they had either seen increases in prices, or they anticipated a rise in costs because of COVID-19. Other respondents were apprehensive about probable supply chain failures along with increasing inabilities to obtain products which were indispensable for their operations.
Delays in deliveries and sales of farm production has already proven to be problematic for 45 per cent of the survey participants, although 55 per cent hadn鈥檛 experienced interruptions at this time. Regarding those who鈥檝e experienced delays, most respondents said these problems were occurring at their elevators or feedlots because of the implementation of new safety protocols.
Additional problems for producers included delays in parts deliveries and grain samples. The fall in the price of livestock had also slowed production. Livestock producers were worried about the lack of buyers attending auctions and the reduction of on-farm purchases of breeding stock.
When the producers were asked if they anticipated delays in sales and deliveries of farm production-related goods and services, 71 per cent of those surveyed were concerned. Producers were also anxious about the surmounting issues within the supply chain network, as more workers become ill with the virus. Moreover, with the decline of commodity prices, the movement of products might prove to be uneconomical.
Most of the respondents, or 71-72 per cent, were foreseeing a bleak production year in economic terms, with lower revenues, reduced prices in commodities and a decrease in cash flow, while a total of 46 per cent of respondents said they wouldn鈥檛 be able to pay their bills. 聽聽聽聽
The APAS determined the federal government should increase their investments in Canadian agriculture, rather than give producers an enhanced access to loans.
鈥淔armers need cash to be able to get their crop in the ground this spring and after the brutal last couple of years we鈥檝e dealt with, reduced cash flow could really break people,鈥� said farmer and APAS President Todd Lewis. 鈥淪o far, the government鈥檚 COVID-19 support to farmers has been to increase our access to loans, but going into even more debt isn鈥檛 the answer. Just look south of the border, where agriculture has received huge subsidies for years. Canadian farmers can鈥檛 compete with that, especially not during a global crisis like this. If agriculture is essential for the Canadian economy, it鈥檚 time for governments to directly invest in our farmers.鈥�
