Vol. XV No. 6
November / December 2021
Serving Soil, Mulch, Compost & Wood Pellet Producers www.SoilandMulchProducerNews.com
NEWS
Peat Demand on the Rise, Harvest Results Mixed
By Ken McEntee
A
pandemic-driven growth in gardening activity has helped to boost demand for peat moss. On the supply side, however, this year’s Canadian harvest has yielded mixed, weather-related results in the nation’s eastern and western regions, according to the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), Edmonton, Alberta. In its annual report, based on a member survey about the status of their actual harvest through August 31, CSPMA said the western harvest exceeded industry expectations, while members in eastern areas reported a lower than expected harvest. CSPMA said its members represent more than 80 percent of North American peat production. “The report reflects the impact of a lot of fires that impacted the amount of harvest days in Manitoba, and the Quebec area where there was a lot of rain this year,” said Asha Hingorani, CSPMA president. “To harvest peat moss you need dry conditions, but not too hot because we don’t want any fire issues.” Overall, Hingorani said, the peat supply has been constant while demand has been increasing. Demand, she said, has been pushed by a growing interest in gardening – especially over the past two years. The demand has generally been attributed to people spending more time at home
during the covid pandemic. “The Canadian horticultural peat industry was deemed an essential service, so our people were able to continue working and harvesting peat moss,” Hingorani said. “Everyone was at home, so more people were more interested in growing their own food and plants within their own households. The demand for the product increased simply because the amateur gardening movement increased. But overall demand for food also increased. We supply a lot of growers, such as mushrooms, fruits and vegetables. I remember visiting a producer who said his phone had been ringing off the hook because of the demand for peat moss.” Hingorani said she is hopeful that strong demand will continue through 2022, even as people will hopefully be less stranded in their homes. “I would imagine that once people realize how easy it is to grow their own food and how much fun it is that they will continue to do it,” she said. “Watching a tomato plant grow in your backyard and then being able to harvest it yourself - there’s a sense of pride in that. So I would hope that the movement in terms of growing your own food in your backyard or in community gardens will continue to increase, especially as food prices continue to increase. I think that if people realize that growing your
own food is also more economical, they will see the value of doing it, and peat can certainly provide that consistent growing media to grow the tomato plants or zucchinis or whatever fruits or vegetables you decide to plant.” During the year ahead, Hingorani said, producers are hoping for stable weather that allows for sufficient harvest days during the spring and summer months to meet the growing demand. The CSPMA annual report said all regions in Western Canada – Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan - met or exceeded targeted volumes as follows: • Saskatchewan - 109% of members’ expectations; • Alberta – 108%; • Manitoba - 102%. Spring was relatively early and reasonably dry in all three provinces, enabling a good start, the report said. A significant - and in some cases record breaking - heat and drought period across Western Canada extended through much of the summer and into early fall 2021. These favorable conditions supported the positive results. In Manitoba, weather conditions - including provincially mandated fire watches - limited harvest and plant operations, constraining capacity. CSPMA said industry and government Continued on page 4