WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) -- Grain handler Viterra on Thursday said Western Canadian farmers may have successfully seeded up to 17 percent fewer acres than average this spring because of record rains, holding back its third-quarter performance.

The company forecast total seeded acreage at 50 million to 52 million acres, down from the five-year average of 60 million. It said 8 million acres in the country's top crop-growing region went unseeded and another 2 million seeded acres were lost due to excess rains.

Those numbers are more optimistic than the Canadian Wheat Board's forecast of 10 million to 12.5 million unseeded ...