Spring seeding is slowly moving forward in Saskatchewan, due to more snow and rain.
But Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Matt Struthers says producers were able to get some planting done over the past week.
“We’re sitting at 52 percent of the crop now in the ground, up from 33 percent last week, but still behind that 78 percent of the 5-year average, so we’re still in a pretty good spot.” noted Struthers, considering how much rain and snow fell last week.
The Hudson Bay area reported 88 mm, the Jedburgh area 85 mm, the Rama area 83 mm, the Indian Head area 32 mm and the Biggar and Cando areas 11 mm.
Struthers says most of the crop damage this week was due to minor flooding, light frosts, drought conditions, and flea beetles.
Struthers says that spring seeding in the east central region of Saskatchewan, sits at only 21 percent complete.
In other regions, the west central region is the farthest along with 81 per cent of the crop seeded; 76 percent of the crop is seeded in the northwest, 73 percent seeded in the southwest, 44 percent seeded in the southeast, and 22 percent seeded in the northeast region of the province, according to the weekly crop report released yesterday (Thurs).
The report also says soil moisture continues to improve across the province, mainly in the eastern regions where most of the spring precipitation was received. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 15 per cent surplus, 58 per cent adequate, 18 per cent short and nine per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as six per cent surplus, 63 per cent adequate, 20 per cent short and eleven per cent very short.
Pasture conditions are rated as 10 per cent excellent, 27 per cent good, 36 per cent fair, 16 per cent poor and 11 per cent very poor. The report notes pastures in the western half of province are struggling to establish this spring due to very limited precipitation causing many livestock producers in the area to continue to feed cattle on farm.