Irrigation farmers in the Lake Diefenbaker Development Area made some major shifts in crops last year.
A survey of the region shows oilseeds of 20,023 acres comprised 36.3 per cent of crops — a gain of 10 per cent overall since 2018.
Canola at 16,382 acres was down by 3,850 acres but flax acreage at 1,995 was up three per cent while soybeans increased to 2,343 acres from none in 2018.
At 23,110 acres, wheat and durum was the number one crop, making up 36.6 per cent of irrigation, compared with 28 per cent the previous year.
Pulse crop acres stayed about the same at 9,025 with dry beans gaining 11 per cent to 5,791 acres.
Forage acres were up 11.8 per cent to 8,756.
Specialty crops gained 5.9 per cent in acres to 6,023. Potatoes were the largest gainer at 4,338 acres from 3,954.
Vegetables gained 36 acres to 407.
Total acres under irrigation in the area increased about nine per cent to 74,032 with inclusion of Central Butte and MacRorie and about 750 new acres under the system.
The survey area includes irrigation in the Riverhurst, Lucky Lake, Central Butte, Macrorie and Outlook districts.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
