Saskatchewan farmers make seeding progress

REGINA — While some Saskatchewan producers battled flooding and some worried about wildfires, others were able to get seed in the ground last week.

The latest provincial crop report, issued May 14, said seeding was 16 per cent complete, up from three per cent last week. That is behind the five-year average of 28 per cent.

Most progress was made in the southwest, where seeding is now 34 per cent done. The southeast is 24 per cent complete while the west-central region was at 13 per cent.

Further behind are east-central at eight per cent, northwest at six and northeast at just one per cent.

Flood water from snowmelt was receding, but rain was expected in many areas ahead of the May long weekend.

By crop, seeding progress was greatest for pulses. Thirty-three per cent of field peas, 32 per cent of lentils and 19 per cent of chickpeas were in the ground.

For cereals, 29 per cent of durum, 23 per cent of triticale, 14 percent of spring wheat and barley, five per cent of canaryseed and three per cent of oats were seeded.

About nine per cent of mustard, seven per cent of canola and flax and two per cent of soybeans had been seeded, while 10 pe rcent of perennial forage was in.

Rainfall was generally limited up to May 11. Topsoil moisture was adequate, but strong winds were increasing the areas reporting shortages.

On cropland, 70 per cent was rated adequate, 13 per cent surplus, 16 per cent short and one percent very short. Hayland soil moisture was rated with 69 per cent adequate, seven per cent surplus, 21 per cent short and three per cent very short. Pasture topsoil was 63 per cent adequate, five per cent surplus, 29 per cent short and three per cent very short.

Seventy-five per cent of livestock producers said they weren’t concerned about a shortage of on-farm surface water, and none indicated severe shortages.