By Alice McFarlane

‘More salt in the wound’; heavy rain and hail an issue after a difficult growing season

Sep 2, 2021 | 3:29 PM

MELFORT, Sask. — Despite the recent rain delays, the Saskatchewan harvest progressed quickly last week especially in the northern regions.

The latest crop report has 36 per cent of the crop in the bin, up from 29 per cent last week and well over the five-year average of 22 per cent.

The southwest region continues to have the most progress in the province with 47 per cent of the crop now combined. The southeast region has 42 per cent in the bin, the west central is at 36 per cent, the northeast is at 34 per cent, east central at 25 per cent and the northwest reporting 21 per cent combined.

An additional 30 per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Many parts of the province experienced scattered showers during the reporting period of August 24 to 30, but heavy rain and hail caused damage, according to crops extension specialist Matt Struthers.

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“It’s unfortunate but, again, it wasn’t a bumper crop year,” Struthers said. “It’s just kind of a little more salt in the wound for farmers.”

Precipitation varied from trace amounts up to 77 millimetres in the Limerick area. The Macklin area received 51 millimetres, Conquest had 40 millimetres, and the Rama region reported 28 millimetres.

Recent rains have helped green up pastures which might allow cattle producers to continue pasture grazing and save their winter feed stocks.

Struthers said as yield reports come in it’s clear it will be a below average crop.

“Yields are disappointing. There are some pockets of the province that received rain when it needed it and they’re getting a little closer to average. But for the most part, very disappointing yields and quality has taken another hit,” he said.

The Ministry of Agriculture will release yield statistics in next week’s crop report.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW