The story remains the same for farmers in the province as it has been all year. Excess moisture prevented many from getting on the field and getting a crop in, and now as harvest time has arrived the same problems are surfacing again, as excess moisture is delaying harvest for many in the province.
Currently, 18 per cent of the crop is harvested according to the last crop report from Agriculture Canada, with the highest rates of completion in the southern part of the province.
The five year provincial average is 65 per cent at this point, so the province is well off the pace, mostly due to the moisture which has been an issue all year. Harvest was further delayed in some areas of the province due to even more rain in the past few weeks.
Crop damage for the most part has been due to rain and frost.
According to Terry Youzwa of the Canadian Wheat Board, what is needed now is warm, dry weather with a bit of wind, in order to dry the crops and get people on the field.
Youzwa says that crop quality is good for the crop that exists, and a volatile market means that those who were able to get a crop in stand to be able to get a good return on their investment.
"There are some field that have above average yields. What we need is some sunshine so that people can deal with the challenges they are faced with and start looking ahead," Youzwa says.
The area from Yorkton to Wadena is one of the hardest hit, moisture wise, and farmers are at the mercy of the weather, as the ground is saturated and any extra moisture will make harvest difficult. Youzwa also notes that the ground has to dry up before winter, as the ground remaining saturated could lead to a wet spring and many of the same issues.
