Photo Credit Facebook Beckie Gyorfi

Harvest progress in Saskatchewan is behind both the five- and ten-year averages at 53 per cent compete, which is still a 12 per cent jump from last week. 

The five-year average is nearly three quarters complete at 73 per cent, while the 10-year average is 62 per cent. The Saskatchewan Agriculture weekly crop report attributes this season’s shortcoming to the impeding rainfall that many areas received between September 9th and 15th.  

In the race to finish combining, the southwest region is the furthest along with 66 per cent of crops harvested. The southeast region follows behind with 58 per cent of the crop in the bin. In the west-central and northwest regions 47 per cent of crops have been combined, and in the east-central region harvest is 46 per cent complete. Things are progressing more slowly in the northeast with 42 per cent in the bin.   Although the rain slowed progress for many, it also improved soil moisture conditions. 

When it comes to which crops are off first specifically, winter wheat and fall rye harvest is now complete. Field pea and lentil crops are nearly there at 96 and 91 per cent respectively. Leading spring-seeded cereals, 72 per cent of barley acres have been harvested. Other spring cereals are also coming along as 66 per cent of durum, 56 per cent of spring wheat, 52 per cent of oats and 20 per cent of canary seed have been harvested. Many producers are beginning to harvest canola with 21 per cent in the bin. Flax and soybeans are the least advanced in harvest progress, with six per cent of flax and 13 per cent of soybeans currently harvested. 

Crop yields and quality are pretty much on par with the ten-year average, however they fluctuate across the province due to varying rainfall amounts. Pea grades are mainly 2 Canada at 53 per cent with 42 per cent at 1 CAN. Lentil grades are mainly 2 CAN at 60 per cent with 26 per cent at 1 CAN. Durum grade quality is reported at 23 per cent 1 Canada Wheat (CW), 43 per cent 2 CW and 23 per cent 3 CW. Quality for barley is reported at 24 per cent malt, 68 per cent 1 CW and eight per cent 2 CW per sample. 

Speaking of varying rainfall amounts, some of the most significant precipitation fell in the Kipling area with 100 mm. The Lampman and Aberdeen areas saw almost just as much with 85 mm and 81 mm of precipitation, respectively. The rainfall brought topsoil moisture conditions for cropland to six per cent surplus, 66 per cent adequate, 22 per cent short and six per cent very short. For hayland, topsoil moisture is six per cent surplus, 58 per cent adequate, 25 per cent short and 11 per cent very short. Finally, pasture topsoil moisture is three per cent surplus, 54 per cent adequate, 29 per cent short and 14 per cent very short.  

 Last week’s crop damage was mainly derived from wind, wildlife and waterfowl. Frost on later seeded crops and hail were also reported to be causing damage.