Harvest 2018 most advanced in the Southwest
Dry and hot conditions have allowed Southwest producers to outpace the rest of the province early harvest operations.
The Southwest has completed a Saskatchewan leading 10 per cent of the harvest according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Crop Report for the period of August 7 to 13. An additional 13 per cent of the crop is swathed or ready to straight-cut.
The region is now ahead of the fiveyear average of being six per cent completed.
The extreme temperatures from last week, combined with the prolonged lack of moisture, have caused crops to dry down rapidly. The weather will also affect yield and quality, and any future rain will be of little benefits to crops which are rapidly advancing.
Pastures and hay fields across the Southwest are in need of significant rainfall to help them recover from the hot and dry conditions.
Topsoil moisture conditions have deteriorated in the past few weeks because of the continued lack of moisture, strong winds and hot temperatures. In the Southwest, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 50 per cent very short, 40 per cent short, and 10 per cent adequate. Similarly, hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 63 per cent very short, 31 per cent short, and six per cent adequate.
The challenging growing conditions have produced a wide range of reported yields, ranging from about average to well below average. The quality of combined crops has been reported to be good to excellent.
There have been reports of stubble and combine fires in drier areas. Livestock feed also remains in short supply.
Provincially, five per cent of Saskatchewan’s crop is now combined and nine per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Saskatchewan Harvest 2018 per cent combined
Fall rye Winter wheat Peas
Lentils Durum
Barley
Spring wheat Oats Canaryseed Flax
Canola Mustard Soybeans Chickpeas