Weekly Crop

This week's crop report shows seeding operations are 91 per cent complete across the province.

Crops Extension Specialist Matt Struthers notes there are still a number of acres on the east side of the province that may not be seeded.

"The fields over there that haven't been able to be seeded due to excess moisture are causing some producers a bit of anxiety and making them a bit nervous about how many of their fields they're going to be able to seed this year. So hopefully it dries out and they're able to seed the majority of their land."

So far, 86 per cent of the crop is in for the southeast, 77 per cent in the east-central, 92 per cent in the northeast, 97 per cent in the northwest while 99 per cent of the crop has been seeded in the west-central and southwest areas.

Producers in the west-central and southwest areas still looking for some moisture.  Some shower activity was reported in parts of the southwest. The Consul area received the most rain with 58 mm, the Maple Creek area 20 mm and the Shaunavon and Admiral areas 16 mm. More rain is desperately needed in the west-central and southwest regions with some producers now becoming anxious about how much longer their crops can survive without moisture.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as six per cent surplus, 56 per cent adequate, 24 per cent short and 14 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as three per cent surplus, 57 per cent adequate, 27 per cent short and 13 per cent very short. Dry conditions in the west are severely deteriorating crops in those regions and moisture is needed soon for both crop and pasture land.

According to the weekly crop report 45 per cent of the fall cereal crops are reported as being in the jointing stage and 19 per cent are in the short blade stage, while 49 per cent of the spring cereals are emerging and 20 per cent are tillering. Thirty-eight per cent of the canola is emerging and 15 per cent is in the seedling stage, along with nine per cent of flax being in the seedling stage. Forty-nine per cent of pulse crops are emerging and 29 per cent are in the vegetative stage