Saskatchewan sees slim 2015-16 surplus, hikes potash taxes

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, March 18 (Reuters) - The Western Canadian province of Saskatchewan expects to post a slim budget surplus in the 2015-16 fiscal year, helped by changes to how it taxes potash mining companies, the government said on Wednesday.

Saskatchewan, which depends heavily on resource revenues and a farm economy, forecast a C$107 million ($83.63 million) surplus in its C$14.2 billion 2015-16 budget, despite an expected sharp drop in revenues from the crude oil industry. The government said it expects the 2014-15 year, which ends March 31, to finish with a smaller than expected C$40.5 million surplus.

($1 = 1.2795 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Editing by Christian Plumb)