September 4, 2009

Over 8 percent of Saskatchewan's grain and oilseed crops have been harvested as of Aug. 31, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture said Thursday (September 3) in a crop update.

An additional 9 percent of the various crops have been swathed with another 4 percent ready to be straight combined.

Last year at this time an estimated 20 percent of the crop was in the bin. The five-year average (2004-08) is 22 percent harvested.

The report said the past week saw good maturing and harvesting weather which allowed farmers to get winter cereals, peas and lentils in the bin.

An estimated 35 percent of the winter wheat, 63 percent of the fall rye, 31 percent of the lentils and 39 percent of the peas have been harvested. Good progress was made in swathing of canola. Cereal harvest was the most advanced in the southwest.

Crop land topsoil moisture has declined in the province and was rated as 1 percent surplus, 84 percent adequate, 12 percent short and 3 percent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions were rated as 72 percent adequate, 23 percent short and 5 percent very short.

Haying operations were close to being complete in the central and northern regions of the province, the report said.

Grasshoppers caused the majority of crop damage during the reporting period. Grasshoppers were a problem in harvested crops and stored grain. Sawfly has caused some damage in the southwest region. Frost was reported in an isolated area in the northwest region, the report said.

Many of the provincial government's crop reporters were indicating two to three weeks of warm, dry harvesting weather was still needed to get the crop off in decent shape, the report said.