Warm and dry weather in many areas of the province has allowed Saskatchewan producers to combine 21 per cent of the 2011 crop as of August 29, 2011. Twenty-seven per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture's weekly Crop Report.
The five-year (2006-2010) provincial average for this time of year is 20 per cent combined and 26 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut. Last year at this time, eight per cent had been combined and 22 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Harvest progress varies across the province. The southwest has 37 per cent combined and 16 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut; the southeast has 29 per cent combined and 25 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut; the northeast has eight per cent combined and 35 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut, and the northwest has five per cent combined and 19 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut. In east-central Saskatchewan, 18 per cent of the crop is combined and 37 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut, and in west-central Saskatchewan 13 per cent of the crop is combined and 30 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as two per cent surplus, 68 per cent adequate, 27 per cent short and three per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 63 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and four per cent very short.
