Dry weather helps harvest climb above 80 per cent complete

Harvest progress jumped in Saskatchewan as it's 84 per cent complete, up from 68 per cent complete last week, according to the weekly provincial crop report.

While behind the five year average of 92 per cent complete, it's above the ten year average of 81 per cent for this time of year.

Dry weather across the province allowed producers to stay in the field longer and get more crops in the bin. 

In fact, the Meadow Lake area had the most rainfall at just 13 millimetres and the Loon Lake area had 11 mm.

Each region of the province is at or above the 80 per cent mark. The southwest is furthest ahead at 87 per cent harvest complete with the west-central and northwest regions close behind at 86 per cent harvested, the southeast region is sitting at 84 per cent, the northeast region 83 per cent, and the east-central region at 80 per cent.  

Harvest is complete for winter wheat, fall rye, and triticale, while peas are almost done at 99 per cent combined and lentils at 98 per cent. For spring cereal crops, spring wheat is 92 per cent combined, durum 91 per cent, oats 87 per cent, canary seed 61 per cent and barley 94 per cent complete. For oilseed crops, canola is now 71 per cent harvested, flax 45 per cent and mustard is 79 per cent harvested. Chickpeas are at 56 per cent harvested and soybeans are at 42 per cent.

Crop damage reported this past week was due to wildlife, waterfowl, and high winds with some producers saying winds were strong enough to blow swaths away.

While the dry weather provided an opportunity for more harvest progress, it brought down topsoil moisture levels for crop land, hay land, and pasture land. The crop report says provincially, "cropland topsoil moisture sits at one per cent surplus, 49 per cent adequate, 38 per cent short and 12 per cent very short. Hayland topsoil moisture conditions are at one per cent surplus, 43 per cent adequate, 40 per cent short and 16 per cent very short. Pasture topsoil moisture conditions are one per cent surplus, 34 per cent adequate, 39 per cent short and 26 per cent very short. "