Alberta Harvest Hits 80% as Farmers Make Up Ground, But Canola Still Lags

Farmers have made major harvest gains after weeks of delays, with yields running above average. But a substantial amount of canola remains in the field, particularly in northern regions.

Alberta farmers are closing the gap on a harvest season that has been running well behind schedule, with nearly 80 per cent of crops now harvested across the province.

According to the Alberta Crop Report for Oct. 6, harvest of all crops reached 79.5 per cent complete, up from approximately 60 per cent the previous week. That puts the province roughly on pace with the 10-year average of 80 per cent, although it remains behind the five-year average of 94 per cent.

The improvement reflects several consecutive weeks of favourable harvest conditions that have allowed producers to make up significant ground following a slow start to the season.

For farmers, the biggest remaining challenge is canola. While most cereal and pulse crops are nearing completion, a substantial portion of Alberta’s canola crop remains unharvested as the season moves deeper into October.

Canola Remains the Biggest Concern

Dry peas are virtually finished, with 99.6 per cent harvested provincially. Barley harvest has reached 91 per cent, followed by spring wheat at 89 per cent and oats at 74 per cent.

Canola remains well behind those crops at just 56 per cent harvested, although another 23 per cent has been swathed.