Roughly one-third of this year’s Manitoba crop still remains out in the field as the harvest continues to be bogged down by widespread wet conditions.
The latest weekly crop report on Tuesday pegged the provincial harvest at 67% complete, up from 59% a week earlier and behind the three-year average of 76% done for the first week of October.
The drying of tough and wet grain is common for recently harvested cereals and canola, the report said, adding that crop quality is also decreasing with the repeated rains. Snow over the weekend has also resulted in the lodging of some crops.
The canola harvest was pegged at 69% complete, 15 points behind the three-year average, while the spring wheat harvest was running 4 points behind at 91% done. The barley and oat crops were both 97% off – 1 point ahead of average – while just 24% of the flax was combined compared to 37% on average. The soybean and dry bean crops were 11% and 35% harvested, behind 48% and 60% on average, while corn was 7% off compared to 0% on average.
Southwest:
Cool and constant wet weather is stalling harvest progress. Rainfall amounts of 10 to 50 mm, majority falling during thunderstorms, which also resulted in hail. Snowfall is also reported in northern parts of the region and near the Saskatchewan border. Lodging in canola and other crops is common. Overnight temperatures ranged from zero to -5°C, which is speeding maturation of soybeans, sunflowers and corn.
Overall harvest progress in the Southwest is 58% complete. Corn at dent stage (R5). Some producers are considering silaging corn soon, but most are holding off until crop moisture come down, rain stops and fields dry. Grain corn needs another week of nice weather to accumulate enough heat units to reach physiological maturity. Corn yields are expected to be average, but with wet grain.
Canola is mostly swathed or ready to straight harvest. More producers are choosing to straight cut fields versus swath. Canola harvest is 45% complete with yields of 40 to 50 bu/ac. Yield losses in both swath and standing canola from wind and hail. Spring Wheat is 75 to 80% harvested, in most areas. Quality may be a major concern for crops with high grain moisture and lack of aeration in storage. Grain quality is deteriorating quickly in swathed cereals, still laying on the ground. Oat harvest is 95% complete, but some lodged crops remain.
Northwest:
Cool weather with intermittent rain showers during the week. Rainfall totalled 20 to 29 mm in the region with the exception of The Pas where there was only a trace amount of precipitation. The Northwest region had the first killing frost of the season at the end of the week; the coldest temperature was minus 5.5°C at Inglis. There was heavy snow in the Swan River area early Tuesday with accumulations of 2 to 10 cm. In spite of challenging weather, producers are managing to advance harvest with overall progress estimated at 70%.
Spring wheat harvest is 90% complete. Yields at Roblin and The Pas are in the range of 60 to 90 bu/ac, while at Swan River yields are 50 to 75 bu/ac. Some of the wheat is coming off at high moisture and is being dried and/or aerated. The canola crop is either swathed or standing for straight combining. The heavy wet snow at Swan River knocked down some of the standing canola in that area.
Canola harvest advanced with overall progress at 65% complete. Roblin and Swan River are 65% complete; operations are just beginning on canola harvest at The Pas. Reported yields are in the 40 to 60 bu/ac range at Roblin and 55 to 70 bu/ac around Swan River. The killing frost ended soybean crop growth. Soybeans remain standing around Roblin; at Swan River and Ste. Rose harvest is just underway at 5% complete. Oats are 75% complete at Swan River and 50% at Roblin. As for flax, 100% of the crop remains standing.
Central:
Another week of rainy cool weather that limited harvest to a few partial days in between rains. Precipitation ranged from a low of 30 mm around Cartwright to 70 mm near Altona. Most areas received 40 to 50 mm. Localized hail accompanied a cold system that moved in midweek. Damage varies from light in some areas to severe in some fields near Notre Dame de Loudres.
Harvested grain is usually tough and must be put on aeration or dried before longer-term storage. Soil moisture is rated as good to excessive with the recent rains. The slow rate of rainfall allowed for good infiltration of the water but the excessive amounts received is accumulating in low-lying areas of fields and filling up ditches. Frost reported on Saturday and Sunday mornings with temperatures dipping to -1 to -2°C in many locations.
Overall harvest is estimated at 70 to 75% complete. Harvest of wheat, oats and barley is considered done in the Red River Valley, whereas 5% of the wheat remains to be harvested west of the escarpment. Ripe, mature, unharvested wheat is suffering from this last stretch of wetness causing bleaching, some sprouting and downgrading grain quality. Earliest harvested wheat is of good grade. Protein levels reported vary from 14 to 15.5%.
Eastern:
Rainfall accumulations for the week across the Eastern region ranged from 40 to over 70 mm. Rainfall amounts were highest in southern and central districts of the Eastern region. Fields are wet to saturated and standing water apparent. Harvesting has stopped although progress in canola and soybeans was made from Thursday to Saturday of last week. Overall harvest progress in the region is 70%. Good drying conditions over the next week are needed if producers are to return to the fields in a timely manner. Some northern districts experienced frost early Saturday morning with temperatures dipping down as low as -2°C for as long as two hours. Rapid desiccation of soybean leaves after this frost was noted.
Across the region, spring wheat harvest was almost complete with an average yield of around 65 bu/ac. Quality on the remaining wheat harvested had degraded significantly due to sprouting and mildew. Protein levels remained mixed with reports ranging from 11% to greater than 14.5%. Oats harvest was also almost complete with an average yield of over 100 bu/ac. Quality on the remaining oats harvested had degraded significantly due to mildew. Barley harvest was complete with an average yield of 70 bu/ac. Increased head breakage and head loss in the remaining barley crop was noted. Most of the cereal acres left to harvest were in northern districts.
Canola harvest was 90% complete with an average yield of 45 bu/ac and good quality. Most of the remaining acres to harvest were in northern districts. Soybean harvest had just begun with less than 10% of acres done. Early yield reports ranged from 30 to 40 bu/ac with good quality. Corn silage harvest was approximately 10% complete with yields of 15 to 18 tons/acre and rainfall continuing to delay progress. Overall harvest progress for the region was approximately 70% complete.
Interlake:
Multiple days were damp and harvest progress was small, overall progress is 65%. North Interlake areas typically had 16 mm or less for the week, whereas south Interlake had up to 30 mm for the week. Most fields can still maintain combine traffic, but that is more difficult the farther south in the region. Soft ground is causing ruts and compaction in areas of higher rainfall, but soil moisture levels remain low at depth, particularly for the north Interlake. Day length, soil dampness, and high humidity are limiting harvest to one or two days a week.
Grain corn faces a very uncertain future, a lot is immature and poor cobs due to aborted kernels, damp soils, damp weather is not advancing crop very well, and field conditions are getting more difficult by the week. Many producers looking to corn silage production and marketing it as forage. Silage corn harvest continues, and will be lower than normal. Quality will be a concern, with lower energy levels where cob formation is minimal.
Source : Syngenta