CN Rail reports it moved a record 2.28 million tonnes of grain last month, which brings the crop year total to 19.7 million tonnes.

That is also 17 percent higher than the previous record set in the 2018-19 crop year.

While those numbers are impressive, the Ag Transport Coalition says they don’t tell the entire story.

New high capacity grain hopper cars move more grain, but that doesn’t mean the system is efficient.

The Ag Transport coalition keeps track of weekly grain movement—-its membership includes grain companies and producer organizations.

Milt Poirier with QGI Consulting does a weekly break down of rail performance.

During shipping week 30, covering the last week of February, CN order fulfillment was only 53 percent.

Poirier says both railways have had challenges providing ”consistent” service levels on a weekly basis.

Grain companies are looking for consistent rail service because sales are booked many weeks in advance.

The final stats have yet to be posted for Shipping Week 31, which ran from March 1st to the 7th, but Poirier says the prospects are not good.

He says there will be heavy demand on the railways.

Between the two railways, he says they are carrying over 35 hundred unfilled orders from the previous week.

He says it will increase the effective demand.

Milt Poirier is with QGI Consulting and monitors grain movement for the Ag Transport Coalition.

His comments were made on the Grain by Train podcast produced by Pulse Canada, a member of the Ag Transport Coalition.
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(with files from cjww)