Bushels to tonnes, by crop
A bushel is a measure of volume, standardised as a weight in pounds that differs for every crop. That is why a tonne of canola is 44 bushels and a tonne of oats is nearly 65.
Bushel weight and conversion factors
| Crop | lb per bushel | bushels per tonne | tonnes per bushel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canola, rapeseed | 50 | 44.09 | 0.02268 |
| Wheat, spring and durum | 60 | 36.74 | 0.02722 |
| Soybeans | 60 | 36.74 | 0.02722 |
| Field peas, lentils | 60 | 36.74 | 0.02722 |
| Barley | 48 | 45.93 | 0.02177 |
| Corn | 56 | 39.37 | 0.02540 |
| Grain sorghum | 56 | 39.37 | 0.02540 |
| Flax | 56 | 39.37 | 0.02540 |
| Oats, Canada | 34 | 64.84 | 0.01542 |
| Oats, United States | 32 | 68.89 | 0.01451 |
| Rye | 56 | 39.37 | 0.02540 |
| Sunflower, oil type | 25 | 88.18 | 0.01134 |
Bushels to tonnes, crop by crop
Bushels to tonnes, canola
Canola: 50 lb a bushel. 1 tonne = 44.09 bushels, and 1,000 bushels = 22.68 tonnes.
Bushels to tonnes, wheat
Wheat: 60 lb a bushel. 1 tonne = 36.74 bushels, and 1,000 bushels = 27.22 tonnes.
Bushels to tonnes, barley
Barley: 48 lb a bushel. 1 tonne = 45.93 bushels, and 1,000 bushels = 21.77 tonnes.
Bushels to tonnes, oats
Oats in Canada: 34 lb a bushel (32 lb in the US). 1 tonne = 64.84 bushels, and 1,000 bushels = 15.42 tonnes.
Bushels to tonnes, lentils
Lentils: 60 lb a bushel. 1 tonne = 36.74 bushels, and 1,000 bushels = 27.22 tonnes.
Bushels to tonnes, soybeans
Soybeans: 60 lb a bushel. 1 tonne = 36.74 bushels, and 1,000 bushels = 27.22 tonnes.
Bushels to tonnes, corn
Corn: 56 lb a bushel. 1 tonne = 39.37 bushels, and 1,000 bushels = 25.40 tonnes.
Converter
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Price per bushel to price per tonne
Canadian contracts are usually priced per tonne and US ones per bushel. Converting a price uses the same factor, the other way round: a price per tonne is the price per bushel multiplied by the bushels in a tonne.
How the factor is worked out
One tonne is 1,000 kilograms, and one pound is 0.45359237 kilograms. So the bushels in a tonne is 1,000 divided by the bushel weight in pounds converted to kilograms.
For canola at 50 pounds: 50 lb is 22.68 kg, and 1,000 divided by 22.68 gives 44.09 bushels per tonne. For oats at 34 pounds: 34 lb is 15.42 kg, and 1,000 divided by 15.42 gives 64.84.
These are the standard weights used for grading and contracts. The actual weight of grain in a bin varies with moisture and test weight, which is a separate matter from the conversion factor.
Convert once when you record a contract, and keep both numbers: see what to record for every grain contract. The bin capacity calculator uses the same bushel weights to turn a bin's size into tonnes.
Doing this on every contract
GrainPosition tracks grain contracts, bin inventory and your weighted average price, and switches the whole book between tonnes and bushels with one button, at the right weight for each crop.
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Sources and method
Bushel weights: the standard trading weights in the table above, in pounds per bushel. Oats differ by country: 34 lb in Canada, 32 lb in the US.
Conversion: a tonne is 2,204.62 lb, so the bushels in a tonne are 2,204.62 divided by the bushel weight. A price per tonne is the price per bushel times that number.
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