Heat and the lack of rain and has taken a toll on crop production on the Prairies this season.
Satellite imagery used for Statistics Canada’s fall estimate of crop production shows what most feared.
The lack of rain “has exacerbated soil moisture conditions, which were already low at the start of the year,” says the StatsCan report.
“These factors have negatively impacted crop growth and yield potential across much of the Prairies.”
Canola production will fall by one-quarter to 14.7 million tonnes as yields drop 30 per cent.
In Saskatchewan canola production will decline 36 per cent as yields average a mere 27.2 bushels per acre.
Across Canada, wheat production will fall 34.8 per cent to 22.9 million tonnes as yields fall almost 29 per cent.
The Saskatchewan wheat crop will see yields plummet by one-third to 30.4 bushels an acre.
The Canadian barley crop will drop 27 per cent to 7.8 million tonnes as yields sink 32 per cent to 48 bushels an acre.
Oats falls 33 per cent to 3.1 million tonnes on reduced acres and yield.
All of the pulse crops will have lower production.
Lentils fall 31 per cent to just under two million tonnes. Pea harvest plummets 42 per cent to 2.6 million tonnes while chickpeas decline by 70 per cent.
Flaxseed production falls 28 per cent to 4.6 million tonnes.
Mustard production drops one-fifth to 790,000 tonnes.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
