August 28, 2009

Just over 3 percent of Saskatchewan's grain and oilseed crops had been harvested as of Monday, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture said in a crop update Thursday (August 27).

This was up almost 1 percent since the previous report and below the year-ago level of 9%. On a five-year average, normally 16 percent of the crop is harvested by this time.

Sporadic rains during the reporting period delayed harvest activity throughout the province, the report said.

An estimated 37 percent of the fall rye and 24 percent of the winter wheat has been harvested. Roughly 4 percent of the mustard, 11 percent of the lentils and 18 percent of the peas have been gathered.

Cropland topsoil moisture in the province was rated as 8 percent surplus, 83 percent adequate, 7 percent short and 1 percent very short, the report said. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions were rated as 2 percent surplus, 80 percent adequate, 14 percent short and 2 percent very short.

Haying in the province was nearly complete except in its northern regions, where rain had kept some producers from wrapping up the last of the 2009 hay crop, the report said.

Pasture conditions continue to improve in most areas of the province, due to the moisture received throughout the growing season.

Pasture conditions across the province were rated as 7 percent excellent, 47 percent good, 38 percent fair, 7 percent poor and 1 percent very poor. Livestock water supplies have also improved somewhat from last month and were rated as 94 percent adequate.

Grasshoppers, flooding and wind caused the majority of the crop damage, the report said. Isolated hail damage was reported. Other sources of crop damage include powdery mildew and pea aphids.