Seeding ahead of schedule, rain needed: crop report

While rain is needed in many areas of the province, conditions have helped many Saskatchewan farmers get crops into the ground.

According to the province’s weekly crop report, 91 per cent of the crop has been planted, up from 70 per cent last week and ahead of the five-year average of 81 per cent.

The southwest region is most advanced with 95 per cent of crop seeded, followed by the southeast at 93 per cent, 92 per cent in the west-central region, 90 per cent in the northwest, 87 per cent in the northeast and 86 per cent in the east-central.

Scattered rain helped temporarily ease concerns of dry field conditions. Significant rainfall is still needed in many areas, except for the northeast which has too much moisture.

While many areas reported less than 25 millimetres of rain, the Humboldt area saw 72 mm.

Across the province, topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 51 per cent adequate, 36 per cent short and 12 per cent very short.

But due to the dry weather, emerged crops are being rated as poor-to-good condition and emergence has been patchy and delayed by dry field conditions. Most of the corp damage done this week was due to strong winds, lack of moisture and insects such as flea beetles and cutworms in canola.

Farmers are busy finishing up seeding, picking rocks and starting in-crop pesticide applications.

SaskPower said it had 15 reported cases of farm equipment contacting electrical equipment last week. The total for May is 143.