Seeding 99 per cent done in Saskatchewan

Seeding is all but complete in Saskatchewan.

In its weekly crop report, the Ministry of Agriculture said 99 per cent of the crop is in the ground in the province.

“Overall, seeding went very well provincially despite the delay from a late spring storm, heavy rains and cool weather,” the report said. “Producers were able to get all their fields seeded without major issues or delays.”

The ministry said thunderstorms that hit some areas of the province over the past week did cause some flooding and crop damage in those regions, but for the most part, crops and pastures are progressing well because of the rain and heat.

Having said that, the ministry did note that some areas didn’t get any rain and that resulted in a decline in topsoil moisture conditions.

Cropland topsoil moisture in the province is considered two per cent surplus, 66 per cent adequate, 28 per cent short and four per cent very short, while hay and pasture land is rated as one per cent surplus, 60 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and six per cent very short.

The report said crop conditions across the province range from fair to excellent, thanks to the recent rains and warm temperatures.

According to the ministry, damage was done during the week by drought stress in some areas, as well as flooding, flea beetles, grasshoppers, cutworms, gophers, hail and wind.