With the 2013 harvest season into the home stretch, farmers from throughout Saskatchewan are in need of some dry weather to help them get their crop off.
Shannon Friesen, the crop specialist for the southeast, said 62 per cent of the crop in this region had been harvested as of late last week. She added another 23 per cent had already been swathed and was ready to be combined.
In comparison to last year, Friesen said the harvest is behind the pace but added that 2012 was a particularly good year with little to no rain and nice weather throughout. When compared to the average over the past few years, Friesen said the harvest is actually on schedule if not a little ahead of the average.
As for the quality, Friesen said both the yields and quality were looking good but noted that last week's rain showers has had a negative impact on crops.
"Everything was looking good, we had probably average to above average yields and the quality was looking good," Friesen said in an interview Thursday. "Of course now, the rain has bleached a lot of the crops, and there is some concern of downgrading at the elevator.
"Any remaining crop that is out there that is swathed or even some standing crops; if they are standing, some of them have become lodged, which will make harvest a bit of a headache. Anything that is swathed now could remain wet for awhile so the longer it sits the more it can deteriorate and lose its quality and colour."
Friesen said canola continues to be a popular crop and noted that farmers reported strong yields.
"In this region, yields were anything from the normal 25-30 bushels, all the way up to even 50 or 60 bushels an acre," she said. "In terms of quality, lots of number one, lots of number twos out there. Of course, it was really dependent on when you were able to swath, how long it sat."
Although Friesen said farmers in the southeast still have plenty of time, getting some good weather over the next couple of weeks will be crucial.
"We've got some time, but we just need the heat to come back."
As for the rest of the province, the weekly crop report said that harvest is progressing well and farmers now have 71 per cent of the 2013 crop combined.
Twenty-one per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut. The five-year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 60 per cent combined and 23 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Harvest progress is most advanced in the west-central region, with 86 per cent of the crop combined. Seventy-nine per cent has been harvested in the southwest; 60 per cent in the east-central region; 68 per cent in the northeast and 73 per cent in the northwest.
Of the crop that has been harvested, average to above-average yields are being reported in most areas, however they vary from region to region. Spring wheat average yields are reported as 46 bushels per acre, durum 44 bushels per acre, barley 68 bushels per acre, canola 38 bushels per acre, and peas 43 bushels per acre.
Rainfall ranged throughout the province from nil to 61 mm. Provincially, topsoil moisture on crop land is rated as three per cent surplus, 53 per cent adequate, 31 per cent short and 13 per cent very short. Topsoil moisture on hay and pasture land is rated as two per cent surplus, 50 per cent adequate, 34 per cent short and 14 per cent very short.
Little crop damage was reported, although wind and heavy rain have damaged some crops. Light frost was also reported throughout the province; however, damage is expected to be minimal as the crops have matured enough.
