Crop Report – Harvest is underway
Saskatchewan Agriculture – Despite cool and wet weather, producers were able to make some harvest progress this week according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Six per cent of the crop is now combined, which is up from two per cent last week, but behind the five-year (2014-2018) average of 16 per cent for this time of year. Eight per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut, which is behind the five-year (2014-2018) average of 19 per cent.
Fifty-two per cent of the fall rye, 43 per cent of the winter wheat, 27 per cent of the field peas, 25 per cent of the lentils, four per cent of the barley, three per cent of the durum, two per cent of the oats and one per cent of the mustard and spring wheat is now stored in bins. An additional five per cent of canola and one per cent of the mustard has been swathed.
Harvest progress is most advanced in the southern regions where 12 per cent of the crop is now combined. Producers in the west-central region have three per cent combined, the east-central region two per cent, the northeast region one per cent and less than one per cent of the crop is combined in the northwest region. Producers expect harvest operations to be in full swing as the crops mature in the coming weeks.
Rainfall covered a significant portion of the province this week. Rainfall ranged from trace amounts to up to 130 mm in the Lipton area. Provincially, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as seven per cent surplus, 78 per cent adequate, 12 per cent short and three per cent very short. Topsoil moisture on hay land and pasture is rated as two per cent surplus, 74 per cent adequate, 21 per cent short and three per cent very short.
The majority of crop damage this week was from strong winds and hail. Across the province pasture conditions are rated as two per cent excellent, 41 per cent good, 39 per cent fair, 14 per cent poor and four per cent very poor.
Farmers are busy getting ready for harvest, swathing, desiccating and combining crops.
Crop Districts 6B – Hanley, Outlook, Loreburn, Saskatoon and Arelee areas; Crop District 7A – Rosetown, Kindersley, Eston, Major; Crop District 7B - Kerrobert, Macklin, Wilkie and Biggar areas
Aug. 20-26, 2019
Harvest operations are underway in the region. Three per cent of the crop has been combined, up from less than one per cent last week and 11 per cent of the crop is swathed or ready to straight-cut. The five-year (2014-2018) average for this time of year is 12 per cent of the crop combined.
The majority of the region received rainfall this week; up to 38 mm of rain was reported in the Dinsmore area. The Outlook area reported 27 mm, the Sonningdale area 5 mm, the Rosetown area up to 25 mm, the Marengo area 22 mm, the Kerrobert area 17 mm and the Landis area 11 mm. The Dinsmore area has received the most precipitation since April 1 (316 mm). Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 57 per cent adequate, 34 per cent short and nine per cent very short, while hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 52 per cent adequate, 37 per cent short and 11 per cent very short. Crop District 7A is reporting that 66 per cent of crop land and 78 per cent of hay land and pasture is short to very short topsoil moisture at this time. Crop damage this week was caused by a lack of moisture and strong winds. Pasture conditions are rated as 13 per cent good, 50 per cent fair, 21 per cent poor and 16 per cent very poor at this time. Rainfall would be beneficial to the pastures in the region, but would not be as beneficial to crops.
