Saskatchewan harvest ahead of last year’s figures

Favourable weather helps farmers get into the fields

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Saskatchewan farmers have completed 8 per cent more of their harvest compared to this time last year, according to the latest Crop Report.

Producers in the province are 26 per cent through their harvest, compared to 18 per cent around the same time in 2016.

And Mother Nature plays an integral part in this process, according to Brent Flaten, an integrated pest management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture.

“The warm, dry summer in the south has advanced crops further along than last year when there was so much moisture,” he told Farms.com. “The combination between heat and dry weather pushed those crops along and gives farmers the opportunity to combine.”

Most of the regions within the province are progressing nicely, with the exception of two seemingly dry areas that are performing better than anyone thought they might.

“Generally in the areas of North Battleford, Saskatoon and Yorkton, farmers are seeing better yields than what they expected,” he said. “The (yields) still may be below average but they’re better considering the lack of rain in those areas.”

Farmers near Swift Current, Regina and Weyburn are also seeing better yields than expected, Flaten said.

Those areas are performing at a higher level because of all the rain that fell in 2016.

“(The yields are) attributed to all of the stored moisture that fell last year,” Flaten said. “Although the wet weather caused quality and harvest issues in other parts of the province, those regions started the year with saturated soil conditions and crops were able to mine that soil for moisture.”

Provincial crop yield estimates