Sask. crops mostly on target despite wild week of storms

A stormy week in Saskatchewan has severely damaged some crops, but most fields are still in “average to excellent” condition according to the latest provincial crop report.

The report for the week of July 3 to July 9 notes 81 per cent of fall cereals, 77 per cent of spring cereals, 75 per cent of oilseeds and 79 per cent of pulse crops are at normal stages of development so far.

Crop specialist Brent Flaten told 650 CKOM the storms rolling through the province provided much-needed rain to several areas, while missing others completely.

“It was kind of the regular variable results,” he said.

“Some areas got it just right, some areas didn’t get enough.”

He said western areas near Leader and Rosetown are still quite dry, with higher rainfall totals recorded as the clouds moved eastward.

“It was a gradual increase to where some areas got heavy rain and localized flooding in the Nipawin and Yorkton areas,” he said.

Flaten noted storms in the southern parts of the province also posed problems, with high winds and large hail battering some regions.

“You never want to see that hail along with the needed moisture, or situations where you get too much of it,” he said.

He added areas of the province missed by the storm are dealing with other issues related to a lack of rain.

Root rot, leaf-spotting diseases and heat blasting due to high temperatures and humidity are taking their toll.

“It’s a real mixed bag, which I think is fairly average for the grain belt,” he said.