Good harvest progress was made in most parts of Saskatchewan over the past week. But Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Matt Struthers says rain slowed some producers down.
According to the weekly crop report, released today (Thurs), the south west and west central didn’t get much rain, but other regions “received enough heavy rain to lodge crops and further delay harvest.” The Lake Lenore area got the most rain with 92mm, the Tisdale area 75mm, the Foam Lake area 35 mm, the Mossbank area 23 mm and the Shaunavon area 10 mm.
“Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as two percent surplus, 55 percent adequate, 15 percent short and 18 percent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as two percent surplus, 50 percent adequate, 28 percent short and 20 percent very short.” read the report.
Provincially, harvest is 23 percent complete, up from 16 percent last week and just behind the five-year average (2017-2021) of 26 percent. Struthers says its mostly the south west and west central regions of the province carrying harvest progress, as they’re pegged at 67 percent and 36 percent, respectively. In the East Central region, only nine percent of the crop has been combined, while the south east has 16 percent, the north west 6 percent and the north east 4 percent.
Struthers notes the fall cereals and pulse crops are leading the way. 66 percent of the winter wheat has been combined, while 62 percent of the fall rye, 74 percent of the lentils, 66 percent of the field peas, 46 percent of the mustard, 51 percent of the durum, 16 percent of the spring wheat and eight percent of the canola has now been combined, according to the report; an additional 21 per cent of the canola and 13 per cent of the mustard is swathed or ready to straight-cut.
The report also says “most crop damage this past week was due to heavy rain, minor hail, strong winds and insects. The lodged crops could see quality downgrading and possible yield loss. There have been multiple reports of grain samples being denied at the elevator due to samples containing grasshoppers. Producers will have to clean their grain thoroughly before taking it to the elevator to sell.”
A printable version of the crop report can be found here.
