Harvest nears half way mark in Southwest
Southwest producers have completed 46 per cent of harvest work across the region, well ahead of the Saskatchewan average of 27 per cent.
Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Crop Report for the period of August 21 to 27 notes warm and dry weather in the Southwest helped regional producers improve from 31 per cent to 46 per cent of the crop in the bin. In addition, 16 per cent of the crop is swathed or ready to straight-cut. This places the Southwest ahead of the five-year average of 24 per cent of harvest done for this time of year.
The majority of the Southwest did report some light rains during the later part of August. The Ponteix area received 2.9 centimetres of rainfall to lead the province.
However, many pastures and hay fields are still in need of significant moisture. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 56 per cent very short, 33 per cent short, while 11 per cent are rated as adequate.
Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 45 per cent short, 44 per cent very short, and just 11 per cent adequate.
Yields vary greatly across the region because of varying amounts of rainfall received during the growing season.
“Overall, yields range from about average to well below average; however, some reporters have indicated that yields are much better than expected for crops such as pulses,” the Crop Report for the Southwest stated.
Saskpower reported six additional cases of farm machinery coming into contact with electrical equipment in the last week, bringing the total for August to 18.
Saskatchewan Harvest 2018 (as of August 27)
Southwest Southeast West Central East Central Northeast Northwest Southwest Provincial
Southwest 46 42 23 16 10 5
Saskatchewan Harvest 2018 Estimated Crop Yields
Provincial Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial 30
Hard Red Spring Wheat
27 40
28 44
25 29
41 77
43 57
767 1132 Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial
Southwest Provincial