Seeding is nearly three quarters complete in Saskatchewan, currently at 72 per cent, a 23 per cent increase from last week, according to the latest Crop Report from the Ministry of Agriculture. This marks an increase from the five-year average of 60 per cent and the ten-year average of 64 per cent.
Progress was delayed over the last seven days due to rainfall in the east and southern regions.
The Humboldt area is slightly behind the provincial mark, with 69 per cent of seeding completed. Seeding inside of the northeastern region is 74 per cent completed. The southwest region leads the province with 89 per cent of the crops seeded.
Within the northeastern region, all field peas have been seeded as progress is at 99 per cent, and many lentil crops have been seeded with progress at 75 per cent. Most spring cereal crops have been planted, with 95 per cent of spring wheat, 81 per cent of oats, and 80 per cent of barley in the ground.
Canary seed and durum are further behind other cereals as 65 per cent and 51 per cent have been seeded, respectively. Oilseed crops are over half done as seeding progress is at 65 per cent for canola and 52 per cent for flax. Seventeen per cent of soybeans and 21 per cent of perennial forages have been planted.
There wasn’t much rainfall reported in the region over the past week. The Bruno and Kelvington areas reported 8mm of rain.
With limited rainfall, topsoil moisture levels dropped from last week. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 48 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short, and eight per cent very short. Hayland topsoil moisture is 40 per cent adequate, 52 per cent short, and eight per cent very short. Finally, pasture topsoil moisture is 36 per cent adequate, 56 per cent short, and eight per cent very short.
As producers head into the final stages of seeding, they hope for more precipitation to aid the crops and to replenish the soil moisture.