CNS Canada – Saskatchewan harvest continues to come off well ahead of the five-year average.
Saskatchewan Agriculture, in its latest crop report for Aug. 14-20, said the harvest was 16 per cent complete compared to the five-year average of seven per cent.
Dry weather was allowing producers to stay in fields.
Harvest is most advanced in the southwest, where 31 per cent of fields are complete. Southeast farmers have combined 24 per cent of the crop, west-central 13 per cent, east-central seven per cent, northeast four per cent and farmers in the northwest have combined one per cent.
Read Also
Feed Grains Weekly: Price likely to keep stepping back
As the harvest in southern Alberta presses on, a broker said that is one of the factors pulling feed prices lower in the region. Darcy Haley, vice-president of Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge, added that lower cattle numbers in feedlots, plentiful amounts of grass for cattle to graze and a lacklustre export market also weighed on feed prices.
Soil moisture conditions are growing worse with scant rainfall reported during this reporting period. Topsoil moisture on cropland is rated 25 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 31 per cent very short.
Hay and pasture topsoil is rated at 17 per cent adequate, 35 per cent short and 48 per cent very short.
Some crop damage is being reported due to dry conditions and hot temperatures.
Reports of stubble and grass fires are starting to appear. Feed shortages in drier areas are also being reported.
Harvest completion rates for various crops are as follows:
– fall rye: 75 per cent
– winter wheat: 57 per cent
– lentils: 55 per cent
– peas: 55 per cent
– mustard: 24 per cent
– barley: 16 per cent
– durum: 14 per cent
– oats: 6 per cent
– spring wheat: 5 per cent
– soybeans: 5 per cent
– chickpeas: 3 per cent
– canaryseed: 1 per cent
– flax: 0 per cent
