The Manitoba harvest quickly advanced this past week as growers rushed to get canola in the bin and get started on soybeans.
The latest weekly crop report on Tuesday pegged the overall provincial harvest at 78% complete, up from 65% a week earlier and 9 points ahead of the five-year average.
Harvest is the furthest advanced in the Central Region at 88% complete, followed by the Eastern Region at 83%, the Northwest at 76% and the Southwest and Interlake at 74% each.
The provincial canola harvest was estimated at 84% complete, 12 points ahead of the five-year average, while soybeans were 13% done, 4 points behind the average. At 45% complete, the flax harvest was running 22 points ahead of average, while oats, barley and spring wheat were all at least 8 points ahead of average at 97% complete for all. The dry bean harvest was lagging 18 points behind the average at 24% complete.
Southwest:
Temperatures varied widely this past week, reaching nearly 30- degree daytime highs, with lows dipping to 0.8°C, but no reports of frost yet. Average daily temperatures range from 13°C to 15°C. Harvest continues; many producers are caught up on cereals and canola and are waiting for soybeans to be ready. Harvest weather has been largely favourable, but some producers are concerned about elevated seed moisture in canola and soybeans harvested this week. Soybean harvest should ramp up towards the weekend. Great progress has been made on fall tillage, with the first pass complete on many acres.
Cereal harvest for many in the region is complete; overall progress is estimated at 90 to 95% done. Yields have generally been good; straw has been baled immediately following cereal harvest and bales have been picked up, allowing for fall tillage operations. Some post-harvest weed spraying is also occurring.
Canola harvest is estimated at 70 to 75% complete. Yield reports range from 30 to 45 bu/ac; with average yields expected to be in the 35 to 40 bu/ac range. Disappointing yields are reported where strong winds caused damage to both standing and swathed canola. Some of the reseeded and late-seeded canola is yielding better, especially with timely rains early on. Flax harvest continues, with yields ranging from 20 to 25 bu/acre. Most soybeans are at R7 to R8. Harvest has begun on early maturing varieties, and 30 to 35% harvest has been completed in southern parts of the region and 10 to 20% done in northern parts. Early yields were reported in the 30 to 40 bu/ac range.
Northwest:
Minimal to no precipitation this week allowed harvest to progress nicely across the Northwest Region. High temperatures along with strong winds over the weekend also helped crop dry down, however strong winds cause some canola swaths to blow over. With another week of no precipitation, soil moisture and water sources continue to be depleted. Some post-harvest fieldwork has been done following harvest but most are holding off due to dry conditions.
pring cereals are 98% complete with some wheat and oats still standing. Spring cereals in The Pas are approximately 80% harvested with yields of 65 to 70 bu/acre. Yields in the rest of the region are lower, from 40 to 70 bu/acre . Canola harvest continues across the region and nearing completion in the southern areas. Harvest progress is about 65% complete in The Pas with yields so far at 25 to 30 bu/ac in poorer fields and 45 bu/ac in better stands; harvest progress in the rest of the region is about 90% complete. Yields in the Swan Valley in poorer crops are approximately 15-25 bu/ac and better crops yielding 45 to 50 bu/ac; yields in Roblin approximately 35 bu/ac and Dauphin at 25 bu/ac and up to 55 bu/ac in better fields. Fields that remain standing are those that were later seeded/germinated or reseeded and/or experienced extra stress and are not quite ready to be harvested.
Central:
Winter cereal planting continues on suitable harvested fields. Earliest planted fields have emerged uniformly with the favourable topsoil moisture conditions. Winter wheat seed supply from dwindling interest over the past few years is a limiting factor for seeding this fall and some supplies are being sourced out-of province. The price offering rather than seed supplies is limiting fall rye seeding. Most available cereal straw has been baled and removed from fields. Limited crop residue burning to date as most straw was spread or baled at harvest. Field tillage is progressing to terminate volunteer grain growth and incorporate crop residue.
Canola harvest progressed well during the week and weekend with mostly the odd field left to harvest. Harvest progress is estimated at 98% done, with reported yields ranging from 5 to 50 bu/acre. Harvested grain quality is good so far. Flax fields are ripe with good harvest progress achieved. Yield reports in the 15 to 28 bu/ac range. Harvest progress is estimated at 80 to 90% complete. Flax straw is being baled or burned. Soybean harvest has started across the region as fields mature and dry down. About 13% of crops are harvested. Reported yields in the southeast corner of the region are better than expected, ranging from 30 to 40 bu/acre. Only 12 to 15 bu/ac reported in the driest areas of the Red River Valley
Eastern:
Rainfall accumulation across the region over the reporting period ranged from 3 to 11 mm at the weather stations. Rainfall accumulation came as scattered showers and intermittent rain with most of that occurring last Thursday. Temperatures began the reporting period ranging from seasonal to below seasonal and then warmed to above seasonal over the weekend before cooling off to seasonal temperatures at the start of this week. Despite the occasional rain and showers, good progress continued with harvesting, fieldwork and the seeding of winter cereals. Warm days often included strong winds that sped crop dry down.
Many producers are caught up or close to caught up and anticipate moving into their soybeans. Canola harvest progressed with about 90 to 95% of the harvest complete. Canola yield reports range from 10 to 40 bu/ac with the average being around 20 to 25 bu/acre. Canola is yielding better than expected however; expectations were low due to the growing season’s moisture deficient. Flax harvest continued with an estimated 80% of acres complete. Yields in the 20 bu/ac range have been reported. Below average yield expected given how poorly the crop handled drought stress. Baling of flax straw is ongoing.
Interlake:
Insufficient data from the Interlake region over the reporting period has limited crop reporting for this week.
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