Across the province, the majority of crops are in good condition and at their normal stages of development for this time of year, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report.
Seventy-six per cent of the oilseeds and fall and spring cereals are at their normal stages of development, while 80 per cent of the pulses are at the normal stages of development for this time of year. Sixty-five per cent of spring wheat, 57 per cent of canola, 47 per cent of lentils and 54 per cent of peas are in good condition.
Many areas received rain showers this week, although amounts varied significantly. In some areas in the southwest, the rain has helped replenish top soil moisture. The Vanguard area received 80 mm of rain, the Shaunavon area 49 mm, the Success area 39 mm, the Fife Lake area 23 mm, the Mossbank area 15 mm and the Tompkins area 18 mm. Other parts of Saskatchewan reporting significant rainfall include the Broadview area 56 mm, the Fillmore area 30 mm, the Jedburgh area 53 mm, the Humboldt area 38 mm, the Eyebrow area 42 mm and the Tisdale area 32 mm.
Provincially, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as two per cent surplus, 64 per cent adequate, 30 per cent short and four per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 55 per cent adequate, 35 per cent short and 10 per cent very short. Topsoil moisture is in shortest supply in the southwest.
Haying operations have started and five per cent of the hay crop has been cut and two per cent baled or put into silage. Across the province, quality is rated as eight per cent excellent, 44 per cent good, 38 per cent fair and 10 per cent poor.
Crops, hay and pasture—particularly in the southwestern and west-central regions—are being affected by the dry conditions. Hay yield is expected to be lower than average and pastures are expected to have significantly reduced carrying capacity going into the summer months.
As well as starting to cut hay, producers are finishing weed control operations. The majority of crop damage this week was due to lack of moisture. Cutworms are still causing damage in some areas.
A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online at http://www.saskatchewan.ca/crop-report.
Follow the 2018 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.
