Rain and Cooler Temperatures Offer Respite for Saskatchewan Crops

Rain and cooler weather have helped relieve stress on many moisture-starved Saskatchewan crops. 

The rain that fell through wide parts of the province over the weekend was a positive sign for many producers, said the latest weekly provincial crop report on Thursday. However, even within regions that received the rain the impact on crop and pasture conditions was variable, it added.  

“In some areas, the rain came just in time to carry crops forward through flowering and grain fill, while in other areas the rain came too late to make a difference to crops or pastures.” 

Topsoil moisture is highly variable, depending on region, but most regions have seen an improvement after the recent rainfall. Provincially, cropland topsoil moisture was rated 2% surplus, 71% adequate, 22% short and 5% very short as of Monday. That compares with 60% adequate, 32% short and 8% very short a week earlier, and 50% adequate, 40% short and 10% very short at this time last year. 

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated the worst in the province’s Northwest Region at 65% short to very short, with the Southeast the best at just 15% short to very short. 

In the Northwest, this past week’s scattered showers brought some momentary relief to crops and pastureland in the region, the report said. “However, conditions were so dry previously that more rain is desperately needed soon. Producers report that in areas that missed the rain crops continue to deteriorate and dry down and some crops have been taken off as livestock feed.”