By Grey Cup time, Saskatchewan farmers had seven per cent of the crop left to harvest — equalling seven times the usual amount.
The 93 per cent harvested showed varying yields in the province with many average to above average crops reported in the Saskatchewan Agriculture service’s last crop report of the season.
In the Moose Jaw-Regina-Weyburn districts only four per cent remained unharvested with similar amounts in the South Country and west of Moose Jaw.
Nine per cent of the province’s canola crop was still out with 10 per cent of soybeans, six per cent of spring wheat, four per cent of durum and 21 per cent of flax left.
Hard red spring wheat yields ran at 45 bushels an acre, up six bushels. Durum at 37 bushels was up two bushels. Oats at 88 bushels was up nine bushels from the 10-year average while barley at 66 bushels was up seven bushels in cereal crops.
In oilseeds, canola went up five bushels to 38 bushels an acre, flax at 24 was up one, and mustard was 965 pounds an acre, a decline of 110 pounds.
In pulses, peas were up three bushels to 38; lentils came in at 1,392 pounds an acre for a 70 pound increase. Chickpeas were 391 pounds, some 75 pounds better.
Quality is below average for most crops from sprouting, bleaching and staining after rains that made this the most difficult harvest since 1980.
The fall rains left soil prepared for spring seeding with 15 per cent of cropland rated surplus, 80 per cent adequate, four per cent short and one per cent very short.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
