“Although the rain is supporting crop growth in some regions of the province, it is causing crop stress and disease in others.”
Only one per cent of acres are unseeded at this point, which the report says is because of the “frequent rainfall and excess moisture conditions in many regions.”
Unseasonably cold, rainy conditions have persisted throughout the province for yet another week — a boon for livestock water supplies and topsoil condition, but stressing some crops and delaying their development.
Saskatchewan’s rainiest and driest regions, April 1-June 17, 2024
“Rain fell throughout much of the province again this week,” the report noted, including nearly 100 mm of precipitation in the Rosthern area. Nipawin and Biggar also reported exceptionally wet weeks, with more than 70 mm of rain.
“Warmer temperatures would be appreciated by producers to support crop advancement,” the report said, noting that fall cereals, spring wheat and oilseeds are falling particularly behind their normal stages of development at this point in the season.
Crop development: June 17, 2024
In fact, three per cent of seeded land in Saskatchewan is now “flooded and unlikely to produce a crop,” and excess moisture is causing “moderate crop damage in some areas,” including crop yellowing and leaf disease.
Aside from the wet weather, gophers, flea beetles and grasshoppers have been the primary culprits behind the crop damage reported this week.
Now that most cattle have made it out to pasture for the summer, producers are reporting that “pastures overall” are in good condition, which makes them “optimistic about the anticipated hay crop.”
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