Harvest is nearly wrapped up in southeast Saskatchewan. The weekly crop report from the provincial Ministry of Agriculture showed that 93 percent of the crop in the region is in the bin. This is on par with the five-year average, but slightly behind the provincial average of 95 percent.
Rain and damp conditions were the primary reason for delays in harvest over the past week. Producers are hoping the coming days will be drier, as this will let them get harvest wrapped up with a smaller risk to the quality of the crop due to moisture.
While the rain has been a hindrance for producers still in the field, it is also been welcomed by many farmers. This is due to the extremely dry conditions seen in the region for much of the growing season, and every little bit before freeze-up is expected to help recharge the soil.
The topsoil moisture did improve slightly across the region. Cropland is now rated 29 percent adequate, 42 percent short and 29 percent very short. Pasture and hay land is rated as 29 percent adequate, 44 percent short and 28 percent very short.
There was some crop damage reported in the past week. Much of it was due to windy conditions, which blew around swaths and damaged seed heads, leading to lost yields. The rain also caused some grain to sprout in swathed and standing crops. The most peculiar cause of crop damage, given the time of year, was hail, which was reported in a few parts of the southeast, especially closer to the Trans-Canada Highway.
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