Dreams of a promising wild rice harvest have been washed away with the rain and high water levels in northern Saskatchewan.Terry Helary, general manager of Northern Lights Foods said the wild rice crop was looking like a bumper crop one month ago, but high lake levels stressed the plants and many floated away.”We’re not sure where all of this water is coming from,” said Helary, of La Ronge, Sask.”It’s drowned out a lot of the rice.”Wild rice harvest began the third week of August and will continue through to the end of September on the 9,000 acres of wild rice area owned by La Ronge Wild Rice Corp.Helary said the staff will still harvest all 9,000 acres, but the crop will be thin, especially in lakes where they are unable to control water levels.Wild rice prices are also way down since the economic downturn. Wild Rice is considered a luxury item and not a necessity.”Wild rice has been hit hard by the recession,” he said.
Wild rice crop hurt by excess moisture
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