Saskatchewan Crops in Great Shape

Crops are generally reported in good to excellent condition, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food's weekly crop report.

Fall cereal crops were reported to be close to 80 per cent in good to excellent condition provincially, with over 90 per cent of the crops at or ahead of normal development for this time of year. Spring cereal crops were close to 80 per cent in good to excellent condition, with over 75 per cent of the crops at or ahead of normal development. Flax and canola crops were reported to be 80 and 79 per cent in good to excellent condition respectively,
with over 80 per cent at or ahead of normal development. Over 75 per cent of the pulse crops are reported to be in good to excellent condition, with 75 per cent reported to be at or ahead of normal development.

There was a slight improvement in topsoil moisture conditions on crop land with 37 per cent of crop reporters rating conditions as surplus, compared to 47 per cent for last week.

Pasture conditions have improved with 92 per cent reported to be in good to excellent condition, compared to approximately 85 per cent at the end of May.  Availability of livestock water improved from the end of May, with notable improvements in the southeast.

Almost three per cent of the 2006 hay crop has been cut, with less than one-half per cent baled or silaged.

The main sources of crop damage during the past week were flooding and disease, according to crop reporters.