The Alberta harvest has now basically wrapped up for the year, with the latest provincial yield estimates indicating better than average crops.
Friday’s crop report estimated the provincewide harvest at 96% complete as of Tuesday, up 18 points from a week earlier and 3 points ahead of the five-year average. The harvest in the South, Central, and North East regions were at 96% done as of Tuesday, with the North West and Peace regions at 97% and 98%, respectively.
Meanwhile, the provincial five-year dryland yield index has steadily improved since August and is expected to be 27% above the five-year average for major crops (spring wheat, oats, barley, canola, and dry peas).
Dry peas show the highest increase at 33% above the five-year average, followed by spring wheat and barley at 23% above, and canola at 20% above. Oats are estimated to be on par with the average. Regionally, all areas are expected to exceed five-year averages, with the exception of the Peace, where yields are close to average.
Except for oats, the final provincial yield estimates for major crops are also above those released by Statistics Canada last month. The province’s latest yield estimates - with the September StatsCan estimate in brackets - are as follows:
Spring wheat 55.7 bu/acre (54.7 bu); Barley 74.8 bu/acre (68.9 bu); oats 77 bu/acre (79.9 bu); canola 42.6 (41.5 bu); dry peas 46.8 bu/acre (40.2 bu).
With most crops now harvested, overall quality results are mixed compared to the five-year average. Hard red spring wheat quality is well above average, with a much higher share grading No. 1 at 76%. Durum wheat is slightly below average, with fewer top grades. Barley quality is close to normal, while oats show a decline, with more in lower grades. Canola quality is notably stronger than average, with a higher percentage reaching the top grade at 92%. Dry peas, however, are below average, with fewer top grades and more in the No. 2 and No. 3 categories.
Light, scattered showers provided limited relief from dryness this past week, with the Peace region showing the most improvement, while the North East and North West saw relative declines or no change in soil moisture conditions. Frost was also widespread, with several areas experiencing hard frosts that helped dry down crops but added pressure to already stressed pastures and hay fields.
Currently, provincial surface soil moisture is rated 18% good to excellent, compared to the five-year average of 41%, the crop report said.
