Crop Report for the Period October 28 to November 3, 2014

Released on November 6, 2014

Harvest is essentially complete in the province as the majority of the crop is now in the bin, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report.  However, there are some crops, such as flax, canary seed and sunflowers left to be combined.

Harvest was challenging for most producers, mainly due to delayed maturity and excess moisture.  Cereal and pulse crop quality remains an issue for much of the province, with the majority of cereal and pulse crops rating well below the 10-year average.  Yields vary throughout the province and are reported as average in most cases.  Yields are reported as 38 bushels per acre for hard red spring wheat, 37 bushels per acre for durum, 82 bushels per acre for oats, 58 bushels per acre for barley, 31 bushels per acre for canola, 34 bushels per acre for peas and 1,371 lb. per acre for lentils.

Average hay yields on dry land are reported as 1.5 tons per acre for alfalfa, 1.4 tons per acre for alfalfa/brome hay, 1.3 tons per acre for other tame hay, one ton per acre for wild hay and 1.8 tons per acre for greenfeed.  On irrigated land, the estimated average hay yields are 2.2 tons per acre for alfalfa hay, 1.6 tons per acre for alfalfa/brome hay, 1.7 tons per acre for other tame hay, 2.3 tons per acre for wild hay and 2.7 tons per acre for greenfeed.  Cattle producers have indicated that they have adequate to surplus winter feed supplies.

The number of acres seeded to winter cereals is below average in most areas.  A late harvest, wet field conditions and poor seed quality in many areas limited the number of acres seeded this fall.

Some areas of the province received both rainfall and snowfall this past week.  Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 13 per cent surplus, 81 per cent adequate, five per cent short and one per cent very short.  Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as seven per cent surplus, 87 per cent adequate and six per cent short.  The southeast and east-central regions are reporting excess moisture in many fields.

Farmers are busy completing fall work and bringing cattle home from pastures.

This will be the final crop report for 2014.

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For more information, contact:

Shannon Friesen
Agriculture
Moose Jaw
Phone: 306-694-3592