Warm weather and wind has allowed combining to resume, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report. Twenty-three per cent of the crop is now in the bin, up from 18 per cent last week, still well behind the five-year (2014-18) average of 50 per cent for this time of year.
Thirty-six per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut. A general rain fell over much of the province with the largest amounts being reported in the central and southern regions.
Harvest is most advanced in the southwest region, where 37 per cent of the crop is now combined. The southeast region has 28 per cent combined and the west-central region 26 per cent. The northeast region has 15 per cent combined, the east-central region 12 per cent combined, while the northwest region has 10 per cent.
Ninety per cent of winter wheat, 88 per cent of fall rye, 78 per cent of field peas, 75 per cent of lentils, 39 per cent of barley, 17 per cent of durum and oats, 13 per cent of spring wheat and six per cent of canola is now in the bin. An additional 56 per cent of canola is swathed or is ready to straight-cut.
Fourteen per cent of the durum is estimated to grade 1 CW, while 46 and 28 per cent is estimated to grade 2 CW and 3 CW, respectively. Thirty-one per cent of the pea crop is estimated to fall in the 1 CAN grade, 58 and 10 per cent are estimated to grade 2 CAN and 3 CAN, respectively. Sixteen per cent of the lentils are estimated to grade 1 CAN, while 55 and 22 per cent is predicted to fall in the 2 CAN and 3 CAN category, respectively.
Across the province, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as 14 per cent surplus, 77 per cent adequate, eight per cent short and one per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as three per cent surplus, 83 per cent adequate, 11 per cent short and three per cent very short.
Most crop damage this past week was due to localized flooding and strong winds. There have been some reports of crops bleaching and sprouting in areas with excess moisture.
Farmers are getting back out in the field and continuing with harvest operations as the weather permits.
A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online at www.saskatchewan.ca/crop-report.
Follow the 2019 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.
