Photo Credit Facebook Beckie Gyorfi

Because most crops aren’t quite ready to be taken off yet, harvest is just two per cent complete across the province. This is below both the five-year average of six per cent and ten-year average of five per cent, but ahead of 2025, when only one per cent of the crop had been harvested. 

Progress last week was slowed mainly by cooler weather. The Saskatchewan Agriculture weekly crop report says those lower temps also brought bouts of rainfall, which provided much-needed moisture, however overall conditions still remain quite dry.  As many areas got a later start to seeding, additional precipitation would be beneficial to push crops through the grain-filling stage.  

Last week, rainfall was quite variable across the province.  The highest amount was reported in the Chesterfield and Milton areas, where 20 millimetres of rain fell, followed by the Milden area with 16 mm and the Harris, Arborfield, Nipawin, Round Hill and Hillsdale areas at 15 mm.   

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated 1 per cent surplus, 48 per cent adequate, 43 per cent short, and 8 per cent very short. Very similar numbers exist for hayland and pasture topsoil moisture. 

Crops are continuing to develop in most regions, but where harvest has already kicked off, the main crops being taken off are winter wheat, fall rye, and triticale.    

Areas experiencing hot, dry conditions reported some crop damage. There were also reports of bertha armyworms, wind, gophers and sclerotinia disease causing minor crop damage in certain areas.