It will be another week before we see more positive numbers in the Saskatchewan Agriculture weekly crop report.
The latest update covers the period to Monday, which also marked the start of the warmer, sunny weather.
Saskatchewan Agriculture reports only four percent was combined last week, pushing the provincial total to 82 percent.
“Localized areas that had quite a bit of moisture over the last couple of weeks may need a few more days of drying weather to draw down moisture in the crops from damp to tough,” says Brent Flaten, a provincial crops extension specialist. “We are hoping to see a bump in next week’s report based on this week’s weather.”
The northwest has the most work remaining with just 45 percent combined. That was only a one percent increase from the previous week.
The northeast made the greatest harvest progress for the second consecutive week, due in part to the amount of available grain drying capacity. The northeast has 79 percent combined, up from 64 percent.
Central areas only saw between 4 and 5 percent combining progress last week. The totals were 74 percent combined in west-central and 68 percent in east-central. Both are well behind the five- year average of 89 percent combined for this time of year.
Sitting in the field this long has exposed crops to several quality concerns.
“Geese and other wildlife are feeding on swathed crops. Some standing crops have shelled out due to the wind, especially canola. That’s on top of the damage due to the moisture in regards to bleaching and sprouting of the grain,” says Flaten.
Provincial topsoil moisture conditions are relatively unchanged. Cropland is rated as three percent surplus, 71 percent adequate, 20 percent short and six percent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is two percent surplus, 61 percent adequate, 27 percent short and 10 percent very short.
You can check out all of the topsoil moisture maps and regional reports by going to:
http://publications.gov.sk.ca/documents/20/109118-Crop%20Report%20October%209%20to%2015%202018%20-%20complete.pdf
