An Ontario record of 2.4 million acres of soybeans pushed Canadian soybean production to 3.5 million tonnes, a five per cent increase over 2008.

Ontario production increased 5.8% to 2.6 million tonnes in 2009, from 2.5 million tonnes in 2008, Statistics Canada says.

However, the yield decreased across Ontario by 3.2 bushels an acre. The average Ontario yield in 2009 was 40.2 bushels per acre.

The harvested area in Quebec rose by 4 %, to 588,100 acres, but production dropped substantially from 600,000 metric tonnes to 530,000 tonnes.

Statistics Canada says the American market at year’s end was supported by speculative market bidding but was expected to nose dive when speculators dumped the stock for profit taking. However, strong world soybean demand put pressure on the price and braked the decline.

Feed grain production in the Canadian prairie provinces declined last year partly because of drought in Alberta and Saskatchewan along with two significant hail storms in Alberta.