Rain showers in various areas of the Province have caused a bit of a delay in harvest activities.

Daphne Cruise with Saskatchewan Agriculture says the stuff that was combined in the last couple of days was on the tough side and is being aerated and dried.

She notes most areas of the province last week received some frost, crop damage from that varies depending on the maturity of the crop and degree of freezing temperatures. Overnight temperatures are expected to begin dropping again over the next week.

Cruise says provincially, 58% of the crop is now in the bin, well ahead of the five-year average of 37% for this time of year. 

“This week’s crop report shows 96% of lentils, 94% of field peas, 73% of durum, 46% of spring wheat, 38% of canola, and 14% of flax and soybeans have now been combined.”

Cruise says yields are lower than expected in many areas especially in the drier areas, while grade and quality are looking good.

“When we look across the durum crop 60% is estimated to grade 1CW, while 34% and 6% is estimated to grade 2CW and 3CW, respectively.  50% of the pea crop is estimated to fall in the 1 CAN grade, while 46% and 4% are estimated to grade 2 CAN and 3 CAN, respectively.  46% of the lentils are estimated to grade 1 CAN, while 49% and 5% is predicted to fall in the 2 CAN and 3 CAN category, respectively.”

Harvest is most advanced in the southwest region, where 82% of the crop is now combined.  The southeast region is at 77%, the west-central 53%, and the east-central region at 49 %.  The northeast region has 27% combined while the northwest region has 16% complete.

She notes while we don’t like to see rain during the harvest, there are a lot of areas that need moisture.

Across the province, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as 25% adequate, 40% short and 35% very short.  Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 20% adequate, 32% short and 48% very short.

The latest Crop Report with specific area details is available online here.