Winnipeg, Aug. 18 (CNS Canada) – A break in rain showers in many parts of Saskatchewan over the past week allowed farmers in the province to advance harvest operations, with three percent of the 2016 crop now in the bin, according to the weekly crop report from Saskatchewan Agriculture.
Yields are estimated to be above both the five- and 10-year averages across all crops, with the exception of lentils and chickpeas.
Harvest progress was in line with the five-year average.
An additional seven percent of fields were swathed, or ready to straight-cut, according to the report that covers up to Aug. 15.
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Combining progress in winter wheat was 62 percent, in peas 15 percent, five percent in lentils, and four percent of the barley and mustard.
Nine percent of the canola and mustard were swathed.
Harvest was furthest ahead in the southeastern part of the province, where producers have eight percent of the crop combined.
Provincially, cropland topsoil moisture was rated as 24 percent surplus, 74 percent adequate, and two percent short.
Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture was rated as 10 percent surplus, 82 percent adequate, and eight percent short.
Producers may have difficulty accessing fields due to all the rain, and other fields may be too soft to support harvest equipment, said the report.
The majority the week’s crop damage was caused by excess rain and lodging.
