Manitoba has issued its first weekly crop report of the year.

Manitoba Agriculture crop specialist Dane Froese says provincial seeding progress sits at 2 percent.

“Seeding progress has started mostly in the central region, particularly in the Red River Valley, and parts of eastern Manitoba in the Interlake and stretching into the southwest corner in the Melita area.” Froese said.

Froese says most farms are planning on starting seeding this week.

“We’re forecasted for some nice warm temperatures throughout the remainder of this week, so that’s really going to get the wheels turning out in the field, and we’ll see a lot of cereal seeding and pea seeding in the next few days.” he said.

Froese expects producers in the northwestern part of the province may not be so early. He says they may be a day or two behind the southwest and will start as soon as they can.

He says conserving existing soil moisture remains top of mind for many Manitoba farmers.