Sask Crops Look Nice

The majority of crops in the province are in good to excellent condition, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food's weekly crop report.

Over three-quarters of the fall cereal crops are reported to be in good to excellent condition, and 97 per cent are at normal development, or ahead of normal development for this time of year. Approximately 80 per cent of spring cereal crops are in good to excellent condition. Eighty-six per cent are at normal development, or ahead of normal development. Flax and canola crops are reported to be 80 and 76 per cent in good to excellent condition respectively, and 86 per cent are at normal development, or ahead of normal development.

Eighty-four per cent of the lentil and pea crops are reported in good to excellent condition, while chickpea crops are 66 per cent in good to excellent condition. Ninety per cent of the pulse crops are reported as at, or ahead of, normal development.

The recent hot weather is starting to have an effect on the crops. Crop reporters indicate that crops showed signs of heat stress, and blooming crops showed flower blast. Some fall rye has been swathed in the southern grainbelt.

Haying operations made good progress with last week's hot, dry weather.  Thirty-six per cent of the first cut hay crop has been baled or put into silage, and an additional 27 per cent has been cut. Quality is generally expected to be good to excellent, although areas that were dry in the spring expect below average yields.

Topsoil moisture conditions have deteriorated from last week, with areas of short and very short moisture increasing on both hay, pasture and crop land.

Hot, dry conditions were the main source of crop damage during the past week.

Other sources of crop damage include flooding, hail, insects, disease, wind
and gophers.