Sask. harvest 79% complete, rainfall hampers progress

Producers in Saskatchewan are pushing forward after harvest was delayed by significant rainfall across the province.

According to the Government of Saskatchewan’s crop update for Sept. 17 to Sept. 23, 79 per cent of crops are in the bin – surpassing the five-year average by four per cent.

The precipitation has helped replenish topsoil moisture and green up pastureland for the fall – while also causing concerns of downgrading quality for swaths and crops that are still standing.

“Saskatchewan is a big province and we have some areas [that] are reporting really good crops and of course some areas are still facing drought over the last couple of years in south and west, and west central part,” said Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) president Ian Boxall.

“I think it varies across the province. I don’t think it looks as good as lots of people thought. I think that July heat kind of burnt things up, but I think all and all, I would say majority of farmers are happy they’re done or are happy with their crop.”

The southwest reported the high rainfall totals during the week. The Gouldtown area led the province with 100 millimetres (mm) followed by Richmound (82 mm), Eston (81), Neidpath (78 mm) and the Admiral area (75 mm).

Furthest ahead is the southwest where harvest is 96 per cent complete. The southeast is not far behind with 83 per cent, followed by the east-central and west-central regions at 75 and 70 per cent. Both Saskatchewan ‘s northeast and northwest sit at 65 per cent.

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The province says 93 per cent of chickpeas are harvested. For oilseeds, mustard (LEAVES) leads the pack, also at 93 per cent, followed by canola at 56 per cent. Flax and soybeans lag behind at 42 and 32 per pent respectively.

Aside from the delay in harvest due to the rain received in September, one farmer in the Hamton area, located between Canora and Yorkton, said the heavy rains this late in the year does not impact the quality of crops.

“When you get the late rains, usually the later the rain, that doesn’t really do anything for the crop, maybe some filling out and some weight purposes,” explained Garett Keyowski.

“But, usually the later the rains the less they affect the yields. It's sort of set in stone already in August."

Harvest is officially complete for winter wheat, triticale and field peas with fall rye and lentils close behind. As for spring seeded cereals, durum remains at 95 per cent, barley at 91 and spring wheat at 85 while oats and canary seed sit at 75 and 68 per cent respectively.

With the rain, cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 64 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and four per cent very short. Hayland and pasture are reported to be in similar condition.

Over half (59 per cent) of livestock producers say that there’s no indication of a shortage of water supplies, while 31 per cent say moderate shortages are occurring. On top of that, 85 per cent of producers reported no concerns over water quality for their livestock.

The majority of crop damages over the week were attributed to wind, wildlife and waterfowl.

"I think there are other pockets that have struggled a little bit this year with dryer weather,” expressed Boxall. “We'll see what the report looks like at the end of harvest when the other 20 per cent of us get finished up and I think we'll have an average crop in the province. "

As the season progresses, farmers are busy baling, hauling, cleaning, harrowing and spraying fall weeds. In some areas, the seeding of winter cereals has begun.

Agri-food commodities reach $1 billon mark in 2024

In addition to the recent crop report, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture stated that the export value of three provincial agri-food commodities have already surpassed the $1 billion mark for this year.

Sitting at $1.7 billion is the province’s non-durum wheat, following is the canola seed at $1.3 billion, and canola oil is at $1.1 billion, including that other agri-food exports are on the path to also surpass the $1 billion export value mark for 2024. 

The full crop report can be read here.