Western Canada farmland values soar as growers expand

Western Canadian farmland is soaring in value, as farmers expand their lands and look to cash in on high crop prices, a report by real estate organization RE/MAX said on Monday.

The price of high-end grain-producing land in southern Saskatchewan has jumped 20 percent on average from last year to a range of C$1,200 to C$1,800 per acre, while the average price in central Alberta is up 20-25 percent to between C$2,000 and C$4,500 per acre of non-irrigated land.