Many areas of the province received rainfall this past week causing producers to briefly pause harvest. Harvest is currently 53 per cent complete, which is a 12 per cent increase from last week. The five-year harvest progress average for this period is 73 per cent, while the 10-year average is 62 per cent. Despite the rain slowing progress, it is welcomed by producers in dry areas as it will improve soil moisture conditions.
The southwest region is the furthest along with 66 per cent of crops harvested. The southeast region currently has 58 per cent of the crop in the bin. Harvest is at the same stage in the west-central and northwest regions as 47 per cent of crops have been combined. The east-central region is currently at 46 per cent complete while the northeast has 42 per cent in the bin.
Winter wheat and fall rye harvest is now complete. Field pea and lentil crops are very close to wrapping up at 96 and 91 per cent respectively. Triticale is at 75 per cent harvested. Leading spring-seeded cereals, 72 per cent of barley acres have been harvested. Other spring cereals are also coming along as 66 per cent of durum, 56 per cent of spring wheat, 52 per cent of oats and 20 per cent of canary seed have been harvested. Chickpea combining is progressing slowly with 27 per cent harvested. For oilseed crops, mustard leads harvest progress at 41 per cent. Many producers are beginning to harvest canola with 21 per cent in the bin. Flax and soybeans are the least advanced in harvest progress, with six per cent of flax and 13 per cent of soybeans currently harvested.
Crop yield and quality vary throughout the province due to the fluctuation of rainfall received throughout the growing season. Pea grades are mainly 2 Canada (CAN) at 53 per cent with 42 per cent at 1 CAN; this is very similar to the 10-year average of 51 per cent 2 CAN and 42 per cent 1 CAN. Lentil grades are mainly 2 CAN at 60 per cent with 26 per cent at 1 CAN; the 10-year average is 51 per cent 2 CAN and 31 per cent 1 CAN. Durum grade quality is reported at 23 per cent 1 Canada Wheat (CW), 43 per cent 2 CW and 23 per cent 3 CW. The 10-year average for durum grade quality is 38 per cent 1 CW, 29 per cent 2 CW and 19 per cent 3 CW. Quality for barley is reported at 24 per cent malt, 68 per cent 1 CW and eight per cent 2 CW per sample. The 10-year average for barley is reported at 31 per cent malt, 50 per cent 1 CW and 19 per cent 2 CW per sample.