Harvest 42 per cent complete in Saskatchewan

A stretch of warm weather helped Saskatchewan farmers make significant progress with harvest during the week.

In the weekly crop report issued Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture said 42 per cent of the crop has been harvested across the province, up from 23 per cent last week. The five-year average for this time of year is 40 per cent complete.

Another 20 per cent of the crop is ready to swath or straight-cut.

Farmers in the southwest region are furthest ahead, with 83 per cent of the crop now combined, followed by those in the west-central (61 per cent), southeast (33 per cent), northwest (28 per cent), east-central (27 per cent) and northeast (21 per cent) regions.

The ministry noted winter cereals are nearly complete, with 96 per cent of winter wheat and 84 per cent of fall rye harvested. Ninety-one per cent of lentils and field peas, 70 per cent of durum, 52 per cent of barley, 40 per cent of spring wheat and 22 per cent of the canola crop have been combined.

Estimates for average crop yields are 43 bushels per acre for hard red spring wheat, 30 bushels per acre for durum, 34 bushels per acre for canola, 34 bushels per acre for field peas and 1,174 pounds per acre for lentils.

“Crop yields in the southwest and west-central regions have been greatly affected by the extremely hot and dry conditions experienced during critical growing stages this season; yields are significantly lower in these areas than the provincial averages,” the crop report said.

The lack of rainfall across the province during the week allowed crops to ripen, but also depleted moisture levels.

Cropland topsoil moisture now is rated as one per cent surplus, 42 per cent adequate, 34 per cent short and 23 per cent very short, while hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 35 per cent adequate, 39 per cent short and 25 per cent very short.

Grasshoppers remain “a significant problem,” according to the ministry, as is the wind.

“Strong winds blew swaths around fields and will result in yield loss and a difficult harvest for affected producers,” the report said. “Strong winds are likely to shell out very ripe crops leading to crop yield reductions as well.”