The harvest in Manitoba is now 51 percent complete, according to the latest provincial crop report
However, the northwest region is only 40 percent complete, while the southwest is just 32 percent complete.
Northwest
The weather cooperated to allow for good harvest progress across the region this week. Minimal precipitation across most of the region and warm temperatures improved drying conditions and aided harvest progress. There are reports of sprouting in some crops. Some low areas in fields continue to hold water. Post harvest operations have been occurring as conditions improve and dry up. Desiccation and swathing of canola continue as stages are reached. Winter cereal seeding continues, and with recent moisture and heat, crops are growing nicely. Approximately 75% of the field pea crop is harvested. The remainder of the crop is ready to harvest or near harvest. Reported yields have been mixed, ranging from below average to average. Spring wheat is mostly mature and ready for harvest. Approximately 70% of the spring wheat is harvested across the region, and yields range from below average to above average. Pre-harvest glyphosate applications continue in later spring wheat as stages are reached. Canola harvest is approximately 40% complete with reports of below average to average yields. Desiccation and swathing continue. Fields that experienced excess moisture have patches of delayed growth that are behind. The majority of the soybean crop is in the late R6 to R7 stage and nearing R8 stage. The crop is looking good where excess moisture hadn’t delayed growth this spring. Stagy conditions are evident in some areas that experienced excess moisture throughout the season.
Southwest
Little harvest progress this past week. Several areas received rain, along with several days of fog and misty rain that kept crops wet throughout the week. Little drying occurred, and water is standing in some fields making travel difficult. Producers with access to driers spent much of last week drying grain, and trying to create room for wet grain, so that when they can get back in the field, they have places to store it. Some harvesting occurred earlier in the week and on the weekend, but rain and cloudy conditions paused harvest again. Spring wheat harvest is 50 to 55% complete, with average to above-average yields. Quality has been good in earlier-harvested crops, but downgrading is occurring in more recently harvested fields. Some wheat is sprouting, resulting in some downgrading to feed. Barley harvest is approximately 75% complete, with average to above-average yields. Quality has started to decrease due to recent rains, and producers are reporting concerns about sprouting. Recently, harvested crops were being downgraded due to sprouting, colour, and low test weight, with much of the crop being graded as feed. Oat harvest is approximately 50% complete. Canola harvest remains limited, at less than 30% complete. Reports indicate average yields and good quality. Harvest conditions are difficult due to lodging and wet fields. Soybeans are in the R8 to R9 stage, depending on the variety and seeding date. Some fields are at 95% maturity. Very few fields have been harvested in the southwest corner of the region. No yield reports are available yet. Corn is at dent stage. Sunflowers are at R8 and are ready for desiccation. Excessive moisture has caused severe lodging in the remaining cereal crops. Producers are now prioritizing harvesting the canola crop over cereals. There is significant regrowth under canola from shattered canola seeds, as well as some regrowth from stems beginning to emerge above lodged canola stands. There is also some indeterminate growth in oats that lodged earlier and are now growing again and heading out. Some winter cereal seeding has taken place, but most fields remain too wet for field operations.
(Manitoba Agriculture news release)
