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Farmers across Saskatchewan are nearly finished seeding for the 2026 season.
According to the latest crop report from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, which covered the week ending on Monday, seeding is now 93 per cent complete across the province, up from 80 per cent the previous week.
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But while producers have made steady progress, the delayed start to the season due to spring snowstorms and wet conditions in many regions mean that the seeding is still lagging slightly behind the five- and 10-year averages of 97 per cent.
Seeding is furthest along in the west-central region, where 98 per cent of the crop is in the ground, the ministry noted, followed closely by the southwest region, where seeding is 97 per cent complete. Seeding is 96 per cent complete in the southeast, 95 per cent complete in the northwest and 92 per cent complete in the northeast. The east-central region is lagging behind slightly, with 84 per cent of the year’s crop seeded.
The week ending on Monday saw very different levels of precipitation across the province, the agriculture ministry noted, with the Calder area getting 164 millimetres of rain, while other areas remained completely dry.
Despite the variable rainfall, the ministry said topsoil conditions stayed relatively stable, though the rain did create some surplus moisture in certain areas.
Provincially, cropland topsoil moisture was rated at 13 per cent surplus, 77 per cent adequate, nine per cent short and one per cent very short. In hayland, topsoil moisture was rated as 10 per cent surplus, 77 per cent adequate, 12 per cent short and one per cent very short, while topsoil moisture in pastures was rated as eight per cent surplus, 76 per cent adequate, 14 per cent short and two per cent very short.
“Varying stages of crop development are reported given the varied environmental conditions,” the ministry noted in its report.
When it comes to winter cereals, the ministry said 36 per cent are at the tillering stage, 23 per cent are in the stem elongation stage, 17 per cent are at the leaf flag stage and 24 per cent are heading.
For spring cereals, 23 per cent are in pre-emergent stages, with 54 per cent in the seedling stage, 22 per cent tillering and one per cent in stem elongation.
The ministry said 13 per cent of pulse crops across the province are in the pre-emergent stage, with 65 per cent in the seedling stage and 22 per cent vegetative.
When it comes to canola and mustard crops, 35 per cent are pre-emergent, 60 per cent are in the seedling stage and five per cent are at the rosette stage.
The ministry said 35 per cent of the province’s flax crops are pre-emergent, with 63 per cent in the seedling stage and two per cent in stem elongation.
“As seeding starts to wrap up in many regions producers are focused on in-crop herbicide applications and scouting for insects and disease,” the ministry said.
“Crop damage this week was caused by multiple factors including wind, flooding and hail. Minor damage from insects like flea beetles and cutworms was reported. Gopher damage was reported in all regions except the northeast.”
