Alberta crop emergence is ahead of the historical average with major crops reported at 93 per cent up and out of the ground, the June 6 provincial crop report said. This is ahead of the five-year average of 84 per cent and 10-year of 86 per cent and an increase of 16 per cent over last week.
“Most annual crops are so far withstanding the dry conditions reasonably well with some cases of uneven germination reported due to lack of moisture,” the report said.
Precipitation has been lower than usual with nearly all regions experiencing drier than normal conditions. The report noted survey respondents reported continuing hot, dry windy weather across much of the province this past week, with only a few localized showers. Currently, surface soil moisture is rated 31 per cent poor, 39 per cent fair, 26 per cent good, four per cent excellent with next to none having excess surface soil moisture.
“Many crops are reliant on timely rainfall for their daily moisture needs,” the report said.
Seeding is essentially 100 per cent complete, with only a handful of acres for feed crops left to plant.
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