Saskatchewan crop conditions were mostly steady to stronger in the second half of June, with several cereal and oilseed crops improving from mid-month levels despite excess moisture concerns in parts of the province.
Thursday’s crop report pegged the Saskatchewan canola crop at 79% good to excellent as of Monday, up 3 points from the 76% rating reported as of June 15. The latest rating included 22% of the crop in excellent condition and 57% good, while 16% was rated fair and 5% poor to very poor.
Spring wheat also improved, rising to 85% good to excellent from 82% two weeks earlier. Durum strengthened 4 points to 93%, while winter wheat climbed 6 points to 85%.
Oats held steady at 80% good to excellent, while barley slipped slightly to 82% from 83%.
Among pulse and specialty crops, soybeans improved 3 points to 73% good to excellent, while mustard rose 5 points to 93%. Lentils and field peas were unchanged from mid-June, at 86% and 85% good to excellent, respectively.
However, not all crops improved. Flax declined 3 points to 84% good to excellent, canaryseed dropped 5 points to 83%, and chickpeas fell sharply to 84% from 93% two weeks earlier. Overall, Saskatchewan crop ratings remained generally strong at the end of June, but the uneven movement across crops suggests wet weather and localized stress are beginning to create more varied field conditions.
Wet conditions are responsible for most of the crop damage being reported across Saskatchewan this past week, as heavy rainfall, saturated fields and flooding in low-lying areas continue to slow crop development and delay fieldwork.
Significant rain fell across many areas of the province, accompanied by hail in some regions. Producers in hail-affected areas are expected to assess crop damage over the coming days to determine the potential impact on yields.
The heaviest rainfall was reported in east-central Saskatchewan, in a corridor stretching from around Saskatoon toward the Manitoba border. The Kuroki area received the largest amount, at 165 millimetres, followed by Marengo at 145 mm. Mikado and Raymore also recorded major totals, at 140 mm and 134 mm, respectively.
The latest rainfall has pushed more fields into surplus moisture conditions. Cropland topsoil moisture is now rated 36% surplus, 63% adequate and just 1% short. The excess moisture has made it difficult for farmers to complete in-crop herbicide applications, while haying has also been delayed.
Crop development remains close to normal for many crops, but the cool, wet weather is causing delays. Three-quarters of fall cereals and perennial forages are at normal development, with the remainder behind. About two-thirds of pulse crops and annual forages are at normal stages, while roughly half of oilseeds and spring cereals are behind normal for this time of year.
The full crop report, including regional comments, is available here: https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/api/v1/products/128638/formats/155106/download
