70% of crops combined, but weather a factor

Rain affects progress in some regions

Despite the rainy weather across most of the grainbelt last weekend, producers were able to make progress with harvesting, with 70 per cent of the 2016 crop now combined, up from 60 per cent the previous week, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report.

However, this year’s harvest is still behind the fiveyear average for this time of year of 79 per cent combined, according to Thursday’s report.

“We’re whittling away at it,’’ said Brent Flaten, integrated pest management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Moose Jaw.

“We made some progress earlier in the week, when it was nice and dry for a change. Then the weekend (rains) came and that stalled things out.’’

Harvest is furthest advanced in the southwest, where producers have 79 per cent of the crop in the bin, while 77 per cent of the crop is combined in the southeast.

Some producers in the southern regions have completed harvest.

Harvest is 65 per cent complete in the west-central region and northeastern regions, 64 per cent in the northwest and 61 per cent complete in the eastcentral.

Of all the crops, 98 per cent of field peas, 93 per cent of lentils, 68 per cent of durum, 67 per cent of spring wheat, 61 per cent of canola and 20 per cent of flax crops have been combined.

“The challenge this time of year is that the days that you can combine are shorter.’’

Rain was general throughout the province, with areas in the west-central and northwestern regions receiving lesser amounts than other regions. Most areas reported receiving at least 25 mm of rain or more, while the greatest amount of rainfall, 63 mm, was reported in the Moosomin area. The Carnduff area received 56 mm, Limerick 38 mm, Webb 30 mm, Foam Lake 51 mm, Bethune 42 mm, Nipawin 33 mm, Biggar 13 mm and Meadow Lake nine mm.

“If you ran a line between Maple Creek and Prince Albert, east of that was the heavier rainfall (area),’’ Flaten said.

Strong winds have blown around some canola swaths, resulting in shattering losses. Standing water from the recent rain also caused some crop damage this past week. Bleaching, sprouting, fusarium and earth tag are causing grade loss. In particular, fusarium in wheat and other cereal crops creates toxins that lower the quality of the grain.

While crop volume is projected at 34.2 million tonnes, the second-largest on record, crop quality has suffered due to rain and crop disease. “The crop is lowerthan-average quality, higher than average in terms of yield,’’ Flaten said.