Seeding is moving at a “remarkable rate,” with 51 per cent of the crop seeded, well ahead of the five-year (2011-2015) average of 28 per cent for this time of year, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly report.
In fact, some producers already have wrapped up seeding operations, while others will need only a couple of weeks of warm and dry weather, the ministry said Thursday.
As usual, seeding is most advanced in the southwest, where an estimated 70 per cent of the crop is in the ground. In the southeast, 60 per cent of the crop is seeded, while the northwest is 56 per cent seeded and the west-central region 53 per cent.
But in the east-central region and northwest regions, both of which sustained minor flooding this spring, are behind at 30 and 29 per cent completed, respectively.
Though the southwest historically has the province’s lowest precipitation, this year southwestern producers “have a lot more than usual,” said agriculture ministry spokeswoman Shannon Friesen.
Also getting more than their usual share of moisture this spring has been the area around Melfort, Tisdale and Hudson Bay, which not only got “a bit of snowfall” over the winter, but more moisture from a recent snowstorm. “There’s quite a lot of moisture in the fields,” she added.
Particularly dry this spring are some pockets in the province’s southeast, but “probably the biggest story for lack of moisture is the northwest and the top portion of the west-central,” Friesen said.
In that area, the most rain received since April 1 has been only about 20 mm, “so in the past six or even weeks, they’ve haven’t even got an inch.”
Sorted by crop, 84 per cent of field peas, 80 per cent of lentils, 78 per cent of chickpeas, 63 per cent of durum, 57 per cent of mustard, 51 per cent of spring wheat and 39 per cent of canola have been seeded.
The ministry acknowledged that “moisture conditions have greatly improved in many regions,” but some areas in the province “will still need rain in the coming weeks to help crops germinate and emerge.”
Source : Leaderpost