Saskatchewan producers are well ahead of the five-year harvest progress average with 76 per cent of the 2011 crop combined, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture's Weekly Crop Report.
Seventeen per cent is swathed or ready to straight-combine. The five-year (2006-2010) provincial average for this time of year is 61 per cent combined and 23 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut. Rain showers late in the week slowed harvest progress in some areas.
Harvest progress across the province varies. The southeast has 84 per cent combined; the southwest 81 per cent; the east central 74 per cent and the west central 76 per cent. The northern regions made great harvest progress during the week. The northeast has 72 per cent combined and the northwest has 59 per cent combined. Seventy-five per cent of the durum, 74 per cent of the spring wheat, 72 per cent of the canola and 33 per cent of the flax have been combined.
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, 31 per cent short and five per cent very short. The majority of livestock producers have adequate or surplus hay and straw supplies going into winter.
Farmers are busy harvesting, hauling bales and controlling weeds on unseeded acres.
