Seeding exceeds 5-year average despite cool spring temperatures: crop report

Sask. farmers get a start on seeding WATCH: Conditions aren’t great but farmers are still out in the field to start seeding. Colton Wiens reports.

REGINA — Nine per cent of this season's crops have been seeded in Saskatchewan, three per cent ahead of the province’s five-year average, according to this week's crop report.

Cool spring temperatures made for a slow start to the season, but operations have picked up since conditions have improved.

The southwest part of the province has seeded 19 per cent of crops, 11 per cent in the southeast, six per cent in the west-central region, five per cent in the east-central and northwest and two per cent in the northeast.

The Porcupine Plain area reported 22 millimetres of rain, during an otherwise dry week. Topsoil moisture is below normal levels in most areas of the province.

Moosomin-area farmer Steven Donald said the warm weather will help kickstart growth, but he has adjusted the depth of seeding due to the lack of moisture.

“Rain is of the essence, and now the wind is getting pretty crazy too and it’s just not helping the situation at all,” Donald said.

Donald is already done seeding wheat and barley, but due to the dryness he’s waiting to start with canola.

Donald said seeding is a gamble that farmers take each year.

According to the crop report there have been reports of winterkill on winter wheat, fall rye and othe fall-seeded crops. Producers are assessing the damage and deciding whether reseeding is necessary.

Seeding, spraying and fertilizing have begun since it began warming up.