Seeding jumps ahead in Sask.

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Published: May 23, 2013

Saskatchewan farmers made good seeding progress over the last week in most areas of the province.

The province’s weekly crop report said 27 percent of the crop was seeded as of May 21, compared to eight percent the previous week.

Dry windy weather through the week has likely pushed that number higher.

The five-year average for this time of year is about 44 percent.

The furthest advanced are farmers in the southwest, who are more than half done seeding. The least advanced are in the northeast, where just six percent is in the ground.

Read Also

File photo of a potato field in Alberta’s Lacombe County. (COrthner/iStock/Getty Images)

Alberta Crop Report: Rains in the south, dryness in the north

Rain fell onto the southern half of Alberta last week, while hot and dry conditions persisted in the northern half, according to the province’s crop report released on July 18.

Crop-wise, 52 percent of field peas, 46 percent of lentils, 40 percent of durum, 27 percent of spring wheat, 23 percent of canola, 20 percent of mustard, 19 percent of chickpeas, 12 percent of barley, six percent of flax and four percent of canaryseed have been seeded.

The southeast region received more than 50 millimetres of rain last week while other areas saw trace amounts. The weekend forecast calls for rain through much of the grain belt.

Topsoil moisture on cropland is rated 14 percent surplus, 78 percent adequate and eight percent short.

On hay land and pasture, topsoil moisture is rated at seven percent surplus, 78 percent adequate, 14 percent short and one percent very short.

Southern Saskatchewan is currently considered at extreme risk for wildfires.

About the author

Karen Briere

Karen Briere

Karen Briere grew up in Canora, Sask. where her family had a grain and cattle operation. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Regina and has spent more than 30 years covering agriculture from the Western Producer’s Regina bureau.

explore

Stories from our other publications