Harvest is well underway in southeastern Saskatchewan, thanks to warm and dry conditions last week.
Fourteen per cent of crops have now been harvested in the region, up 10 per cent from last week.
Producers have been combining winter cereals, pulses, and spring wheat, as well as desiccating and swathing other crops.
About two-thirds of winter cereals are now off, with 70 per cent of fall rye and 65 per cent of winter wheat harvested. Pulse harvests are at the midway point, with 59 per cent of field peas and 53 per cent of lentils combined. Chickpeas are behind other pulses, with just 16 per cent harvested.
Harvesting of spring cereals began last week. Barley is 18 per cent combined, durum and oats are both at 15 per cent, and seven per cent of spring wheat has been harvested.
Oilseed crops are not yet ready for harvest, and essentially none have been combined. All reported triticale crops were harvested as feed this year.
The southeast has some of the best-quality winter wheat and fall rye crops in the province. Winter wheat grades are currently 42 per cent No. 1 Canada Western (CW), 51 per cent No. 2 CW, six per cent No. 3 CW, and one per cent CW feed. For fall rye, 64 per cent is No. 1 CW, 34 per cent No. 2 CW, and two per cent No. 3 CW.
Rainfall was minimal in the region last week. With limited moisture, topsoil conditions declined slightly. Cropland topsoil is reported as one per cent surplus, 74 per cent adequate, 21 per cent short, and four per cent very short. Hayland topsoil is 63 per cent adequate, 34 per cent short, and three per cent very short. Pasture topsoil is 57 per cent adequate, 35 per cent short, and eight per cent very short.
Most pastures are in fair to good condition. One per cent are excellent, 57 per cent are good, 29 per cent are fair, 12 per cent are poor, and one per cent are very poor.
Most crop damage was caused by hot temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds that lodged crops, but damage was not widespread. A few areas experienced hail, which caused varying levels of damage. There were also isolated reports of wildlife and waterfowl feeding on some crops.