The provincial harvest has advanced by an additional 5 per cent over the past week, now standing at 96 per cent complete, surpassing the five-year average of 90 per cent, according to the latest provincial crop report. A week of dry weather across most regions enabled farmers to make significant progress in the fields, although cooler temperatures limited combining hours due to extended periods of dew and occasional frost.
Barley, dry peas, and spring wheat have been almost entirely harvested, while canola and oats are 92 per cent and 93 per cent complete, respectively. Despite the slower progress for these crops, both are still ahead of their five-year averages.
Quality assessments of fall-seeded crops have seen a slight decline, dropping by 2 per cent since last week, with 54 per cent now rated as good to excellent. Regional breakdowns reveal that the best conditions are in the South, where 76 per cent of the crop is rated good to excellent, a significant improvement from the five-year average of 52 per cent. The Central region follows with 64 per cent, and the North West stands at 57 per cent rated good to excellent. The North East, however, has experienced a steep drop, with only 11 per cent of the fall-seeded crop receiving a good to excellent rating, compared to 66 per cent in previous years. No fall-seeded crops have been reported in the Peace Region.
Increased weed pressure due to fall rains has become a concern in some areas, but frost is helping to mitigate this issue in affected regions.
Limited precipitation was recorded this week, primarily in the North West and North East regions. The North East saw up to 20 mm of rainfall, while the North West received up to 10 mm. The rest of the province experienced minimal rainfall, with most areas receiving less than 1 mm. While the dry conditions were favorable for harvesting, surface soil moisture levels have decreased across the province. Last week, provincial surface soil moisture was rated at 53 per cent good to excellent; this has now fallen to 45 per cent, aligning with the five-year average.
Regionally, surface soil moisture ratings vary. The South region saw a decrease to 39 per cent good to excellent, down from 46 per cent last week. The Central region stands at 55 per cent, down from 64 per cent. The North East region dropped to 27 per cent, while the North West fell to 31 per cent. The Peace Region remains relatively stable with 86 per cent rated good to excellent, close to its five-year average.
Sub-surface soil moisture ratings remained steady at 31 per cent good to excellent, consistent with last week but lower than the five-year average of 44 per cent. The South region saw a minor change, with sub-surface moisture rated at 30 per cent, while the Central region dipped slightly to 17 per cent. The North East and North West regions saw minor fluctuations, and the Peace Region held steady at 88 per cent.
To read the full crop report click here.
