CROP REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING JULY 20

Hot, dry weather and insects continue to stress crops, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization's weekly crop report.

Some areas north of a line between Estevan, Moose Jaw and Lloydminster benefited from localized thundershowers, but hot, windy weather during the week prevented the moisture from having the maximum benefit.

Crops are advancing and early-seeded crops are beginning to ripen in some areas. Peas could be ready to combine in a few weeks. Provincially, spring cereals and oilseeds are 67 per cent at normal development and 12 per cent ahead of normal; pulse crops are 71 per cent at normal development and 13 per cent ahead of normal; and fall cereal crops are 72 per cent at normal development and 24 per cent ahead of normal.

During the past week, crop conditions, on a provincial basis, either held their own or deteriorated. Deterioration was most evident in durum, triticale, mustard, pulse, and canary seed crops.

Topsoil moisture conditions deteriorated with 34 per cent of crop reporters rating conditions on crop land as adequate, compared with 50 per cent last week. On hay and pasture land, 24 per cent of reporters rated topsoil moisture as adequate, compared with 39 per cent last week.

Insects were again the main source of crop damage and included grasshoppers, aphids, leaf hoppers, cutworms, and wheat midge. Other sources of crop damage during the past week were heat and drought stress, wind, hail, disease, and gophers.

Warm, dry weather continued to help haying progress and almost three-quarters of the first-cut hay crop has been baled or put into silage. A further 15 per cent is lying in the swath.

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For More Information, Contact:

Terry Karwandy Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: (306)787-5956