Much Better Progress for Manitoba Harvest

Much drier conditions got the Manitoba harvest back on track this past week. 

Delayed from Tuesday, the province’s weekly crop report on Wednesday pegged the overall harvest at 73% complete, up 15 points from a week earlier and well ahead of the 3-point gain seen the previous week. 

Precipitation amounts this past week ranged from 0 to about 7.5 mm, well down from anywhere from 5 to over 200 mm a week earlier. 

The biggest week-over-week gain in harvest progress was seen in the Eastern Region, where the harvest advanced a major 21 points to 75% done. The Interlake Region was close behind with a 19-point gain to 73% done. At 81% complete, the Central Region harvest was up 13 points on the week, while the Northwest climbed 14 points to 61% done. The Southwest Region harvest was 69% done, up 13 points on the week. 

The Manitoba spring wheat crop is now 95% in the bin, while oats and barley are both 98% complete. The canola harvest was 78% complete, while 60% of the dry beans, 29% of the soybeans and 17% of the flax was off. 

Corn continues to develop rapidly with the warm weather, the report said, with the harvest just started in the Eastern Region. 

Canola yields range from 25 to 65 bu/acre, with averages ranging from 30 to 45 bu/acre.  Flax yields range from 20 to 25 bu/acre in the Southwest. 

A wide range of dry bean yields are reported, but average yields are estimated at 1700 to 2000 lbs/acre.  Soybean yields range from 35 to 60 bu/acre, and an average of 45 bu/acre. 

Southwest: 

Temperatures have been variable, with daytime highs ranging from 27 to 32°C. Overnight lows have dropped as low as 0.8 to 6.5°C, but there have been no reports of frost yet. Heavy winds in the area during the weekend caused some disruption. Harvest continues, with reports indicating an overall average completion rate ranging from 65% to 70%. A week of good weather would wrap up most acres. Significant progress has been made on planned tillage operations, and ditching continues. Some areas are looking for rain post-harvest to benefit soil moisture levels for next year and improve tillage conditions in some soils. Fertilizer application has started, and there is a lot of regrowth in canola and cereal fields. 

Northwest: 

A stretch of high temperatures have allowed for good harvest progress this week. Daytime highs reached upper 20’s and low 30’s °C. The Pas station received the highest precipitation this week at 7.6 mm. Heavy dews in the morning continue to narrow the harvest window at this time of year. Extreme winds and wind gusts across the region on Monday were a challenge and caused canola swaths to blow. The highest wind gusts were recorded at Keld station at 86 km/hr. 

Central: 

The Central region received very little or no rainfall, with Somerset (1 mm) receiving the most. Warm, dry, and windy conditions throughout the week allowed for much of the standing water in fields and ditches to recede and for more producers to return to the fields early in the week. Some areas in Winkler and Morris which received high amounts of rainfall the previous week had to wait much longer for fields to dry to allow for field activities. Some rural roads remained impassible into the beginning of the week. Winter cereals and fall cover crops are developing well and have benefited from fall rains and the warm conditions.