While harvest in the province is ahead of the five-year average at 15 per cent completion, for many farmers in the east central area, continued moisture is putting a hold on proceedings. Isolated areas in the region have experienced severe weather with scattered August storms says the Ministry of Agriculture in its latest crop report for August 13-19.
Other areas of the province that have seen less moisture are progressing more quickly with harvest. Variable results have been reported with some areas showing crops that have experienced heat stress.
In the east central region, harvest is at 17 percent completion; however much of that progress has been on the western fringes in the Hanley area, where less moisture has been received. Areas around Wadena, Wynyard and Kelvington were once again impacted by moisture and storm conditions.
Elsewhere in the province, the southwest continues to lead in harvest progress, with 29 per cent of the crop harvested. This is followed by the southeast at 21 per cent. The west-central and northeast regions both sit at five per cent harvest completion and the northwest region reports one per cent of harvest complete.
The highest rainfall recorded fell in the Craven area at 69 mm, followed by the Strasbourg area at 66 mm and the Caron area at 52 mm. The Arborfield area received 49 mm and the Rosthern area received 48 mm over the past week.
Recent moisture has helped improve topsoil moisture conditions across some areas of the province. Currently, cropland topsoil moisture is 35 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and 24 per cent very short. Hayland topsoil moisture is 31 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 25 per cent very short. Pasture topsoil moisture is 25 per cent adequate, 43 per cent short and 41 per cent very short.
The report also indicates that crop damage over the past week was mainly due to the lack of moisture throughout many regions, along with the increased temperatures. Crop lodging, due to wind damage, was also reported across the province along with hail damage in isolated areas. Grasshoppers continue to persist in the drier regions of the province as well. Producers are still evaluating sclerotinia stem rot development within their fields as canola matures but many regions are reporting increased amounts of infection this year.