Crop ratings for Alberta are below historical averages with only 45 per cent of fields rated at good to excellent condition, the July 11 provincial crop report said. This rating is well below the five and 10-year averages of 66 and 68 per cent, respectively.
If you look across the province, regionally growing conditions are the highest in the north east and the Peace where conditions were 59 and 58 per cent good to excellent, respectively. The report noted that conditions are rated the lowest in south at 35 per cent good to excellent.
Spring cereals are flowering across the province and 83 per cent of major broad leaf crops are flowering and 11 per cent are podding, the report said. Podding is most present in the south at 19 per cent, while the rest of the province ranges from seven to 10 per cent. All crops are ahead of the five-year average as half complete head emergence and 75 per cent flowering is average for this time of year.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms experienced across the province over the last two weeks helped stabilize many crop conditions. While the rain has helped improve soil moisture levels, the report noted soil moisture reserves are experiencing once-in-three-to-five-year lows to once-in-50-year lows in select areas around the south, north east, and Peace regions.
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