Alex Soloducha

Demand for propane has risen "drastically" in the prairie provinces&nbsp;due to the number of farmers drying their grain, according to a leading supplier.

Keith Morin, director of propane for Federated Co-operatives Limited, said the entire industry is unable to handle the current demand.

'We need to get rolling': Sask. farmers stressed over harvest delays

It's been a less-than-ideal year for many farmers in Saskatchewan.

Just 40 per cent of crops across Alberta have been combined so far.

Alberta crop harvest

The cold and wet weather has kept many Saskatchewan farmers off of their fields.  

'Hard on your mental well-being': Fall storms throw wet blanket on Prairie farmers' harvest

Many Prairie farmers eager to finish their harvest on a high note are instead anxiously waiting on snowy, wet fields to dry out so they get the job done and avoid serious financial losses before winter sets in.

Bill Campbell, president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, said continued rain and early snowfall could be costly and catastrophic for Manitoba producers. 

Manitoba crops sept 28

Swaths lay in a field north of Brandon, Man., at the end of September. Parts of Manitoba received almost as much rain in September as in June, July and August combined, and many farmers are still playing the waiting game after snowfalls during the first week of October.

Crop near Brandon

"The semi drivers are lined up for four to six hours at gas plants or terminals," he said in a statement emailed to CBC. "After that we have been so busy it has been impossible to keep up.

"We have moved delivery trucks around from branches and hired more drivers, but we can't keep pace with all of the orders coming in."

According to Morin, Co-op sold two-and-a-half times more propane than the 10-year average in September in the Melfort, Sask. area.

Lake Country Co-op posted this warning to Facebook regarding the high demand for propane and the wait times that producers may have to deal with. 

Co-op propane

"We are doing everything we can to service our customers, but we realize they are frustrated with the situation," Morin continued. "We will continue to do our best to help out our farm customers.

"We know this is already a tough harvest for many of them."

Grain drying has been a vital part of harvest for many farmers this year due to rain and snow. The&nbsp;grain that has been combined has been far more damp than what is usually acceptable for the market.

A spokesperson for Co-op said Melfort is the busiest area this year, but the company has also been busy with grain drying at&nbsp;the Saskatoon, Yorkton and Meadlow Lake branches.

In Alberta, the company is&nbsp;busy at the Edmonton and Grassland branches.

And in Manitoba, the Brandon, Winnipeg and Carman branches are&nbsp;extremely busy with drying, but more for corn drying than cereal grains.

The propane industry is unable to handle the current demand due to an increased need for grain drying.   

Grain drying putting pinch on propane industry

More Stories Like This