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REGINA — Producers in the southeast made good harvest progress and are wrapping up harvest due to dry conditions this past week. Harvest is now 94 per cent complete in the southeast, which is ahead of the 83 per cent five-year average and 84 per cent 10-year average.

Harvest is complete for most crops including winter wheat, fall rye, barley, triticale, lentils, field peas and chickpeas. Other spring-seeded cereals are almost all off as well. Harvest progress for durum and oats is at 98 per cent, spring wheat is at 97 per cent and canary seed is at 87 per cent. Producers are nearing completion of harvesting oilseeds as 96 per cent of mustard, 91 per cent of canola and 82 per cent of flax is off. Soybean harvest has not quite reached the halfway point yet, as only 47 per cent is off.

Very little rain fell in the southeast during this reporting period and conditions have been fairly dry. The Indian Head area received the most rainfall with 6 mm, while Strasbourg area received 4 mm. The rest of the southeast did not receive any precipitation other than trace amounts in a few places. As a result of the lack of rainfall, topsoil moisture levels fell a bit from last week. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 66 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and 1 per cent very short. Hayland topsoil moisture is now 51 per cent adequate, 46 per cent short and 3 per cent very short. Finally, pasture topsoil moisture is 48 per cent adequate, 49 per cent short, and 3 per cent very short. Producers are hoping for lots of rain after harvest to improve topsoil moisture for next year.

Producers are reporting light kernel weight for some crops which is mainly due to the heat in July and August, and yields are overall lower than they expected. Estimated yields for spring-seeded cereal crops are 50 bushels per acre for spring wheat, 38 bushels per acre for durum and 64 bushels per acre for barley. Canola yields are estimated to be 32 bushels per acre in the region, which is slightly lower than the provincial average. For pulse crops, field pea yields are reported to be 34 bushels per acre and lentils are 1220 pounds per acre. Yields vary within the southeast largely based on rainfall, temperature and pest activity during the growing season.

Quality of hard red spring wheat in the southeast is lower than the provincial average for this year. Forty-seven per cent is 1CW grade, 45 per cent is 2CW, seven per cent is 3CW and one per cent is CW feed grade.

Since harvest is almost done in the southeast, less crop damage is being reported. The damage reported this week was from strong winds, wildlife and waterfowl activity. As producers finish harvest, they shift their focus to cleaning combines, storing grain and post-harvest weed control.

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