Central Region Crops Set to Smash 5-Year Yields — If Weather Holds

Harvest is now officially underway across Alberta, with pulse crops and fall cereals leading the charge, according to the new provincial crop report. As of this first report of the season, roughly 2% of the provincial crop is in the bin, in line with the 5- and 10-year averages. The South Region is out in front at 6% complete, followed by the Peace at 2%, while most other regions remain <1%.

Crop Conditions Holding Strong
Crop condition ratings remain encouraging, with 65% of fields ranked good to excellent — well above the historical average. The Central Region stands out with a remarkable 94% good-to-excellent, buoyed by timely rains. Elsewhere:

• North West: 69% good-to-excellent
• South: 64%
• North East: 59%
• Peace: 25%

Warm weather and intermittent rainfall have pushed spring cereals into the dough stage and kicked fall-seeded crops into ripening. Pest pressure remains low across most of the province, though grasshoppers and gophers are creeping above threshold levels in a few hotspots.

Soil Moisture Picture Mixed

Surface soil moisture is rated 61% good-to-excellent provincially. Central and South regions continue to benefit most from recent showers, while the Peace Region remains on the dry side with just 32% rated good-to-excellent. Sub-surface moisture tells a similar story — Central sits at 81%, but the Peace is lagging at 33%.