WINNIPEG – With 38 percent of Saskatchewan crops planted as of May 13, the pace was a little ahead of the five-year average of 31 percent.
The province’s agriculture ministry issued its weekly crop report on May 16 and noted planting was also slightly ahead of 2018’s pace of 35 percent for this time.
Southeastern Saskatchewan was furthest along with 53 per plant of crops in the ground, a good improvement from the previous week’s 23 percent.
Crops in the southwest were at 52 percent in the ground, also a good improvement from the 14 percent from last week’s report.
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The west-central and east-central were 32 and 31 percent planted respectively. The previous week the west-central was at nine percent and the east-central was at seven.
In the northwest, crops reached 28 percent planted, which was double from last week’s report.
Planting the northeast was at 22 percent and more than seven-fold from the previous week.
The crop report also stated crops have been slow to emerge due to cool weather conditions.
Moisture in cropland topsoil in Saskatchewan ranged from one percent surplus, 52 percent adequate, 40 percent short and seven percent very short. Hay land and pastures are 46 percent adequate, 40 percent short and 14 percent very short.
As with cropland, hay and pasture growth has been slow due to little precipitation and below normal temperatures.
