Initial crop condition ratings in Saskatchewan are mostly below those of a year earlier.
Thursday’s crop report rated the condition of crops in the province as of Monday. And while last year’s first condition ratings were not released until a week later, they were almost universally higher compared to this time around.
For example, the Saskatchewan spring wheat crop was rated 64% good to excellent as of Monday, down from 87% on June 10 last year. The durum crop was rated 76% good to excellent as of Monday, compared to last year’s initial rating of 93%, while oats and barley – at 61% and 67% good to excellent, respectively – were down from 87%.
At just 57% good to excellent as of Monday, the condition of the canola crop was the lowest among all crops in the province and 21 points below last year’s June 10 rating.
The flax and mustard crops came in at 74% and 67% good to excellent, versus last year’s initial ratings of 91% and 88%. The lentil crop was rated 79% good to excellent, down from 90%, while peas were 16 points below last year at 75%. The canary crop was rated 71% good to excellent, down from 89%, and chickpeas, at 86%, were down from 95%.
Soybeans were the only crop with a condition rating above last year, up 2 points at 85% good to excellent.
Although seeding progressed rapidly in Saskatchewan this spring, increasingly dry weather has become a concern in various parts of the province, most notably in the northwest region.
Today’s report pegged provincewide cropland topsoil moisture at 1% surplus, 46% adequate, 44% short and 9% very short as of Monday, versus 4% surplus, 65% adequate and 27% short the previous week. In the northwest region, cropland topsoil was reported at 33% adequate, 50% short, and 17% very short as of Monday.
Dry conditions, wind and heat were reported in various locations across the province, with “minor crop damage overall,” the report said. Minor crop damage from flea beetle, cutworm, grasshopper and wireworm pressure was reported with some producers taking control measures. Some minor damage from wildlife was also reported, and producers continue to monitor gopher populations across the province.
Seeding across the province was reported at 97% complete as of Monday, up from 88% a week earlier near the five- and 10-year averages of 95% and 96%.
Producers report mostly good crop emergence across the province with some reports of spotty emergence in later seeded crops, the report said.
The full crop report is available here:
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/agriculture-natural-resources-and-industry/agribusiness-farmers-and-ranchers/market-and-trade-statistics/crops-statistics/crop-report
