Good Harvest Progress in Saskatchewan
REGINA - Sep 25/14 - SNS -- Saskatchewan farmers made good progress harvesting this year's crop during a week of warm and relatively dry weather.
In its latest weekly crop progress report, Saskatchewan Agriculture said 43% of the province's crops are now in the bin and another 37% is swathed or ready to straight-cut. The five-year average (2009-2013) for this time of year is 58% combined and 25% swathed or ready to straight-cut.
The southwestern region is the most advanced, where 54% of the crop is now combined. In the northwestern region 47% of the crop is now in the bin; compared to 46% in the west-central region; 45% in the northeastern region; 41% in the southeastern region; and 28% in the east-central region.
While overall yields are reported to be about average, they vary from region to region depending on field moisture and disease received throughout the year. Average hard red spring wheat yields are reported as 39 bushels per acre, durum 37 bushels per acre, barley 58 bushels per acre, canola 32 bushels per acre and field peas 1,920 pounds per acre.
Saskatchewan Agriculture also estimates that this year's lentil crop will average 1,296 pounds per acre; chickpeas 1,242 pounds; mustard 1,044 pounds; canaryseed 1,262 pounds; and soybeans just 12 bushels or 720 pounds per acre.
Last year's soybean yields averaged over 1,500 pounds per acre. This year's precipitous decline in yields could combine lower average market values to temper enthusiasm for current varieties. That could limit acreage growth in 2015.
Crop Yields Vary
Farmers in southeastern Saskatchewan have harvested 41% of all crops, while another 32% is swathed or ready to straight-cut. Heavy morning and evening dews have delayed producers in some areas.
Crop yields vary across the region but overall are reported to be about average. Excess moisture and disease have damaged many crops and quality remains a concern. High fusarium levels are common in cereal crops, as are sprouting and bleaching in cereals and pulses. There are many reports that frost damage is now evident in some late seeded crops such as canola.
In southwestern Saskatchewan 54% of the crop is now combined, up from 31% last week. An additional 24% is swathed or ready to straight-cut. Crop reporters have indicated that harvest will be wrapped up for some producers in the next week if the warm and dry weather continues.
Quality remains a concern in many pulse and cereal crops due to moisture and higher than normal disease levels. Sprouting and bleaching is also common in many of the pulse and cereal crops. There are many reports that frost damage is now evident in some late seeded crops such as canola and wheat. Crop yields are average overall but greatly vary across the region.
Farmers in east-central Saskatchewan have combined 28% of the crop, while 44% is swathed or ready to straight-cut. Although harvest is well underway in the region, several more weeks of warm and dry weather is needed for most producers to finish. Heavy dews and slow dry down is delaying many producers.
Many crops are coming off tough and are being aerated in the bin. Quality is a concern across the region as many areas are reporting high levels of sprouting, bleaching, fusarium and frost damage. Geese have damaged swaths while strong winds have blown canola swaths around. Reported yields are about average, although some crops are yielding well below expectations.
In west-central Saskatchewan, 46% of the crop is now in the bin and 37% is swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Although crop yields are about average overall, they vary greatly in the region depending on moisture received throughout the year. There are many reports of frost damage that is now evident in some later seeded crops and high levels of fusarium in cereals. Many pulse and cereal crops have sprouted or bleached due to the weather. There are also reports of canola heating in bins and many producers are aerating tough grain.
Crop reporters in northeastern Saskatchewan estimate 45% of the crop is now combined and 49% is swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Reported yields have been average overall and quality remains a concern in much of the region. Sprouting and bleaching is common in the region, as is fusarium damage. Swaths are slow to dry down and there are reports of higher than expected green seed in some canola crops.
In the northwest, a week of warm and dry weather allowed for harvest progress to more than double in the northwestern region. An estimated 47% of the crop is now in the bin and 45% is swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Quality remains a concern in much of the region as many pulse and cereal crops have sprouted and bleached. There are also higher than normal levels of fusarium in some wheat crops. Strong winds blew canola swaths around and shelled out some standing crops. Overall crop yields are about average but vary in the region depending on moisture received during the growing season.
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