Significant rainfall brought harvest to a halt across much of southeast Saskatchewan last week, stalling progress for producers who are now past the halfway mark but behind historical averages. The latest crop report from the Ministry of Agriculture for the period ending September 15th shows harvest in the region is 58 per cent complete. This is an increase of only eight per cent from the previous week and lags behind the five-year average of 76 per cent for this time of year.
Kim Stonehouse, a crops extension specialist with the ministry, said the slowdown was expected given the weather.
"The brunt of the moisture kind of happened in the southeast and east-central regions, and so that has put them a bit behind," Stonehouse said.
The Kipling area received the most rain in the province with 100 millimetres. The Lampman area saw 85 mm, while Griffin and Churchbridge recorded 77 mm and 78 mm, respectively.
Progress varies across the southeast. The Weyburn-Radville area and the Estevan-Carnduff area both lead the region at 63 per cent complete. The Moosomin-Melville area is the furthest behind at 44 per cent harvested.
Harvest is complete for winter wheat and fall rye. Among spring-seeded cereals, barley is leading at 77 per cent complete, with durum at 71 per cent. Oilseed harvest is less advanced, with canola sitting at 28 per cent and flax at five per cent.
While the rain is causing delays and concerns about downgrading for unharvested crops, it has significantly improved topsoil moisture conditions. Cropland topsoil moisture is now rated as 70 per cent adequate and 15 per cent surplus.
Stonehouse acknowledged the frustrating timing for producers.
"We'd all like it to happen after harvest for sure, but I mean, we can't fight Mother Nature," he said.
The main sources of crop damage this week were minor issues from wind and localized flooding. Producers are now baling straw and harrowing as they wait for fields to dry out enough to resume combining.