Harvest is in high gear across the province and ahead of both the five-year and 10-year averages.
Saskatchewan producers as a whole are 33 per cent complete harvest, ahead of the five-year average of 23 per cent and the 10-year average of 20 per cent, according to the most recent crop report released by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Producers in the southwest are leading the province this harvest with 60 per cent of the harvest completed. Closer to home, farmers in the Moose Jaw area are 37 per cent complete.
“In the southeast, the rain stayed out of the area for a few days and producers in the region were able to make some fantastic progress with harvest,” said Mackenzie Hladun, crops extension specialist with Saskatchewan's Ministry of Agriculture.
“Harvest is now at 37 percent complete in the southeast, ahead of the five-year average of 31 per cent. Producers have made significant progress on all crops but the most progress has been made on fall cereals,” added Hladun.
96 per cent of fall rye and 89 per cent of winter wheat in the bin for the year with lentils and field peas leading the way in spring seeded crops, with 80 per cent of each crop harvested.
Mustard made significant progress this week, with 55 per cent of the crop harvested, ahead of other oilseeds including canola (10 per cent) and flax (seven per cent).
Producers are currently focusing on getting their spring cereals harvested and have 48 per cent of durum, 46 per cent of barley, 26 per cent of spring wheat and 19 per cent of oats harvested. Sixty per cent of triticale is harvested, with 56 per cent being used for feed.
Drought conditions and the lack of topsoil moisture continue to be a concern for producers across the province. 28 per cent of cropland had adequate moisture, 39 per cent is short and 33 per cent is very short.
The moisture situation for pastures and hay lands isn’t much better. 16 per cent is listed as adequate, 53 per cent is short and 32 per cent is very short.
“With crops coming off quickly, many producers are hoping for late-season rain to replenish moisture,” added Hladun.