Saskatchewan producers now have 35 per cent of the crop in the ground, well ahead of the five-year average of 10 per cent, but on par with this time last year when 34 per cent of the crop was seeded, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report.
Seeding progress advanced rapidly from 15 per cent completed the previous week, thanks to warm and dry weather last week. However, much-needed rains have slowed seeding in some areas.
“For the most part, the rain was very much welcomed by producers,” said Shannon Friesen, cropping management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Moose Jaw.
“Not only will it help some of those crops germinate and emerge, but it also gave our producers a break for a little bit, as well. They can go to town and get their haircut — all those things they haven’t been able to do for a month,” she added with a laugh.
Seeding is most advanced in the southwest, where producers have 58 per cent of the crop seeded, while 51 per cent of the crop is seeded in the southeast. About a quarter of the crop is seeded in the west-central region, followed by 23 per cent in the northeast; 21 per cent in the northwest and 17 per cent in the east-central region.
“Lots of producers have wrapped up (seeding) and others will be in the next week or so,” Friesen said.
Many areas of the province did not receive rain last week. However, significant rain received earlier this week in much of the province will help alleviate concerns in some areas about dry topsoil moisture conditions.
“Parts of the southeast — Weyburn, Estevan and eastern regions — and the top portion of the west-central region — North Battleford heading up to Lloydminster — certainly didn’t get as much as they hoped.”
Other areas, like southwest and Yorkton-Humboldt areas, received some snow this week, while much of the grainbelt reported freezing temperatures.
Source : Leaderpost