Slow start to spring seeding in province

Rain was a welcome sight for Saskatchewan's agriculture sector this week with spring seeding now underway.

While the southwest region is furthest along at 23 per cent seeded so far, the province as a whole is behind the five-year average with just 12 per cent of crops in the ground. The average for the years 2019 to 2023 is 23 per cent, according to the first crop report of the season. The 10-year average (2014-2023) is 20 per cent.

The southeast is making “good progress,” at 16 per cent complete, while the northwest and west-central regions are sitting at eight per cent and five per cent respectively. The east-central and northeast regions, where spring snowfall accumulations were higher, are further behind at four per cent and three per cent respectively, the report notes.

The Moose Jaw area had the most rainfall over the past week with 103 millimetres.

“Although the recent moisture caused delays to seeding, it allowed the topsoil moisture conditions to improve across the province,” the report said, adding that spring runoff was reported in mid-april at 74 per cent below average, 22 per cent average and four per cent above average.

Fifty-eight per cent of crop reporters said the run-off received will be enough to fill dugouts and other water bodies in their area and livestock producers are “hopeful the recent moisture will improve pasture conditions.”