Despite a cool and damp week in much of the province, producers took advantage of breaks in the weather to make considerable harvest progress this week, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report. Thirty-nine per cent of the crop is now in the bin, well ahead of the five-year (2013-2017) average of 25 per cent for this time of year. Thirty-two per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Harvest is most advanced in the southwestern region, where 60 per cent of the crop is now combined. The southeastern region has 56 per cent combined, the west-central and the east-central regions has 32 per cent. The northeastern region has 14 per cent combined, while the northwestern region has eight per cent combined.
Ninety-seven per cent of fall rye, 92 per cent of winter wheat, 83 per cent of lentils, 86 per cent of field peas, 53 per cent of mustard, 49 per cent of durum, 46 per cent of barley, 28 per cent of spring wheat and 19 per cent of canola have now been combined. Twenty-six per cent of oats, 30 per cent of chickpeas, eight per cent of canaryseed and five per cent of flax have been combined. Fifty-seven per cent of canola, 34 per cent of spring wheat and 11 per cent of mustard are swathed or ready to straight-cut. Not much progress has been made on soybeans, with harvest progress at five per cent combined, similar to the previous week.
Across the province, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as 22 per cent adequate, 47 per cent short and 31 per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 18 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and 41 per cent very short.
The majority of crop damage this past week was due to lack of moisture and strong wind. There were some reports of frost causing damage in parts of the province.
Producers are busy swathing and combining crops.
SaskPower reports four cases of farm machinery coming in contact with power equipment over the last week, bringing the total in August to 22. SaskPower reminds everyone to take their time and to be aware of overhead power lines crossing fields and farm yards this harvest season.
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.
