SEEDING ALMOST DONE

Seeding of the 2003 crop is now 98 per cent complete, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food, and Rural Revitalization's weekly crop report.

Some of the seeding remaining to do is for green feed crops or to replace seed lost due to insect or wind damage.

Localized rainfall improved topsoil moisture conditions on crop land on the western side of the province. A majority of reporters rate crop land topsoil moisture across Saskatchewan as adequate. In central and northern grainbelt areas topsoil moisture conditions are rated as short to very short by 30 per cent or more of reporters.

As growing conditions continued to improve across the province, more than 60 per cent of reporters rated spring cereal, oilseed and pulse crop development as normal, with about one-third to 40 per cent rating development as behind.

Just over three-quarters of reporters rate fall cereal development as normal with close to 20 per cent rating development as ahead of normal.

During the past week, insects caused the most crop damage – namely flea beetles, grasshoppers, and cutworms. Spraying for insect and weed control is underway.

Other sources of crop damage include wind, drought, flooding, hail, disease, and gophers.

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For More Information, Contact:

Terry Karwandy Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: (306)787-5956 Email: tkarwandy@agr.gov.sk.ca