Stormy weather slowing seeding in Saskatchewan

Seeding in Saskatchewan is behind schedule, and the rainstorm expected to hit the province Thursday and Friday likely won’t help matters.

In the crop report issued Thursday, the Ministry of Agriculture said 14 per cent of crops are seeded in the province, up from one per cent last week but well behind the five-year average of 23 per cent for this time of year.

Farmers in the southwest region are the furthest along with 34 per cent of their crop in the ground, with producers in the west-central region next at 20 per cent. But seeding is only seven per cent completed in the southeast, which has been socked by multiple spring storms — and another one is expected in the area in the coming days.

“Many fields in the eastern half of the province are still too wet to allow producers to seed,” the report said. “Full-scale seeding is still a week away in some parts of the province.”

Seeding is five per cent done in the northwest, three per cent complete in the east-central region and one per cent done in the northeast.

While some areas have too much moisture, the southwest and west-central regions are dry. The report said that could result in uneven germination for the crops that are in the ground.

The rain that fell in the province last week has improved moisture levels.

Cropland topsoil moisture now is rated as six per cent surplus, 58 per cent adequate, 26 per cent short and 10 per cent very short. Hay and pastureland moisture is rated as two per cent surplus, 56 per cent adequate, 29 per cent short and 13 per cent very short.

The precipitation also helped fill dugouts, which will benefit some livestock producers.

“However, producers in the southwest and west-central have concerns about water levels and are making plans to haul water if conditions do not improve,” the report said. “Heavy rains throughout the summer will be needed to ensure that water availability does not become a widespread concern.”