MarketsFarm — Overall spring planting across Saskatchewan reached 33 per cent complete as of Monday, according to the latest weekly crop report from Saskatchewan Agriculture.
Despite the good progress over the week, that’s still 20 points behind the five-year average. When compared to the excellent progress this time last year, the gap expands to 41 points.
In Saskatchewan this spring, there’s an enormous gap between the planting progress in the very dry west compared to the soggy east. The report said the southwest of the province was at 60 per cent finished, followed by the west-central region at 53 and the northwest at 35. Then in the southeast, seeding reached 17 per cent done, with the east-central at 13 and the northeast at eight.
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Provincewide by crop, durum led the cereals at 51 per cent seeded, with spring wheat next at 29, barley at 27 and oats at 11. Of the oilseeds, mustard was 38 per cent in the ground, canola at 19, flax at 11 and soybeans at four.
Pulses were farther along, especially being more concentrated on the western side of Saskatchewan. Lentils were 59 per cent planted, chickpeas at 58 and field peas at 57. Of the specialty crops, canary seed was 25 per cent planted.
As for cropland topsoil moisture levels, the report cited 12 per cent as surplus, 56 adequate, 20 short and 12 very short. Levels on hay land and pastures were found to be four per cent surplus, 56 adequate, 24 short and 16 very short, making for good recovery of grazing lands and more cattle being put out to pasture.
