October 30, 2009
Saskatchewan grain, oilseed crops are 79 percent harvested
An estimated 79 percent of the grain and oilseed crops in Saskatchewan had been harvested as of Oct. 16, the province's Ministry of Agriculture said Thursday (October 29).
Wet, cold weather continued to delay harvest operations, the ministry said in a crop update.
The current pace of the harvests' progress compares with the 77 percent level seen the preceding week. Last year at this time, the harvest was virtually complete.
The report said over the past month, producers have been harvesting their crops at an extremely slow pace, if they are harvesting at all. The crops that can be gathered are coming off the fields wet and are being placed into dryers and aeration storage to try to deal with the moisture.
The wet weather has left many farmers unable to enter their fields or drive loaded trucks on roads.
The ministry said producers with crops still in the fields are indicating that they will have to wait for the ground to freeze and dry up before they can finish their harvest.
An estimated 12 percent of the province's crops are lying in swath and 5 percent is ready to straight combine.
An estimated 78 percent of the spring wheat, 91 percent of the durum, 59 percent of the oats, 86 percent of the barley, 33 percent of the flaxseed, 69 percent of the canola, 89 percent of the mustard, 59 percent of the canary seed, 85 percent of the chickpeas and 3 percent of the sunflowers have been combined, the report said.
All regions of the province still have crops in the field, with the northern and east-central areas having the largest amount of unharvested crop.
Province-wide, cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 25 percent surplus, 56 percent adequate, 14 percent short and 4 percent very short, the ministry said. Hayland and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 8 percent surplus, 65 percent adequate, 16 percent short and 9 percent very short.
Snow and rain were the major causes of crop damage during the reporting period. The recent weather has caused bleaching, sprouting, lodging, and shattering, the ministry said.
