WEYBURN - With the dry weather entering the southeast this week, the region was able to make fantastic harvest progress, according to the weekly crop report for the period of September 5 to 11. Harvest is now 66 per cent completed ahead of the five-year average of 64 per cent.
Spring cereals were the focus of many harvesting operations. Eighty-two per cent of spring wheat, 79 per cent of durum, 84 per cent of barley and 80 per cent of oats are harvested for the year. Producers have now turned their focus to oilseeds, where canola is 41 per cent and mustard is 70 per cent harvested for the year. Eighteen per cent of flax and 33 per cent of soybeans have been harvested. Progress in chickpeas was also made with 57 per cent of the crop harvested.
Producers are currently seeing 27 per cent of peas being graded at 1 CAN and 72 per cent being graded at 2 CAN. Lentils are currently being graded at 1 CAN at 45 per cent and 2 CAN at 48 per cent. Durum quality is still strong, with 37 per cent of the crop being graded at 1 CW and 45 per cent is 2 CW.
Minimal moisture this past week was seen in the region, with 20 mm being the most rain reported in the Moosomin area. Thirty-eight per cent of cropland has adequate moisture, 36 per cent is short and 26 per cent is very short. Thirty-four per cent of hay and pastures have adequate moisture, 37 per cent are short and 28 per cent are very short.
Crop damage this week is mostly due to grasshoppers, wind damage and drought. Producers are busy combining as well as harrowing harvested fields. Others are also moving livestock, picking bales and getting ready for fall sales.
