Crops are developing quickly thanks to warm temperatures in many areas of Saskatchewan this week, with some producers even getting a head start on harvest. According to the provincial crop report from July 28 to Aug. 3, early seeded crops are nearing maturity in several areas, with warm and dry conditions benefitting them. Producers in other areas, however, are hoping for some rain to help with grain fill in later-seeded crops. Scattered showers only brought limited moisture in some regions, including the Milden area with 31 millimetres (mm), the Beaver River area with 28 mm and the Invermay area with 20 mm. Topsoil moisture is rated as adequate for over half of Saskatchewan, despite the limited precipitation. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated at 56 per cent adequate, hayland topsoil moisture is rated at 56 per cent adequate and pasture topsoil moisture is rated at 45 per cent adequate, according to the report. Crop development has sped up due to the hot and dry weather conditions, with most crops rated at normal. For fall cereals, 86 per cent are rated as normal, 71 per cent of spring cereals are normal, 65 per cent of oilseeds are normal, 77 per cent of pulse crops are normal, 83 per cent of perennial forages are normal and 78 per cent of annual forages are normal. Dry conditions have also led to some producers starting to harvest early-seeded crops and winter cereals, the report said. Overall, harvest is at two per cent complete, with most progress occurring in the southwest. Winter wheat currently sits at seven per cent harvested, while fall rye is at 21 per cent. For spring cereals, triticale is 37 per cent is harvested, barley and spring wheat remain at one per cent, while two per cent of oats are in the bin. Most pastures are in good to fair condition, with only a small portion rated as poor due to the limited rainfall in some areas. Fifty-three per cent are rated as good, 33 per cent are rated as fair, seven per cent are rated as poor, while one per cent is rated in very poor condition. Some areas reported crop damage from dry conditions, wind, grasshoppers, and bertha armyworms. As harvest ramps up, drivers are being reminded to use caution on Saskatchewan roadways as farm equipment traffic increases. The full report can be found here.
