Harvest has started in the south and central regions of Alberta with fall seeded crops and pulses being combined, the Aug. 8 Alberta crop report said. In the south 11 per cent of the crop is in the bin, which is ahead of the five-year average of seven per cent, and in the central region two per cent of the crop is harvested which is in line with the five-year average.
To date the majority of yield estimates are below both the five and 10-year averages in all regions except the Peace region, the report noted. Provincially, the estimated dryland five-year yield index of major crops is 84.7, indicating provincial yields are estimated at 15.3 per cent below the five-year averages. Regionally, the five-year yield index is the best in the north west where yields are predicted to be 7.1 per cent above the five-year averages. The next highest are in the north east and the Peace regions at 6.7 and 9.6 per cent below the five-year averages, respectively.
“The five-year yield index estimates are reported the lowest in the south and central where they are 33.3 and 26.6 per cent below the five-year average, respectively. The strongest five-year yield index estimates are for winter wheat, oats and mixed grains; the poorest are for fall rye, spring triticale and chickpeas,” the report said.
Precipitation in the past 30 days has been near normal for the majority of the province, the report said. The Peace and north west regions have experienced once in six-to-12-year highs while small pockets across Alberta have received once in three-to-25-year lows.
“Scattered showers have helped crop maturing slow down and spring cereals are on average in early dough stage, fairly on track with the five-and 10-year average. Similarly, podding of broadleaf crops is at 89 per cent complete across the province, consistent with the five-year average,” the report noted.
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