WINNIPEG, Man. – Grain haulers can expect to move more grain this year, according to the head of Agricore United.

Agricore’s chief executive officer, Brian Hayward, recently told local media that recent snowfall and forecasts for a wet spring mean 2003 should be a better year for grain producers.

“The picture is certainly much brighter than it was a year ago,” Hayward told the company’s shareholders at a recent meeting.

Late summer rain helped replenish ground water stocks and if predictions of a wet spring should come true, then there will be better grain crops this year than in recent years. Agricore’s drought insurance provider estimates there’s only a 10 per cent risk of another widespread drought in the Prairies this summer.

“In the years when we’ve had the benefit of timely rains, it’s not unreasonable to expect Agricore United to handle 12 million to 13 million tons of grain,” says Hayward.

Climatologist Tim Ball was also on-hand at the shareholders meeting to re-affirm Hayward’s predictions.

“The current drought is coming to an end,” he vowed. “The next drought could occur approximately 17 years from now.”