Provincial yield estimates released by the Saskatchewan government on Thursday suggest the likelihood of bigger than expected 2025 Prairie crops.
Except for canola, the province’s major crop yield estimates – based on conditions as of Monday – are universally higher than the projections released last month by Statistics Canada and based on conditions up until the end of July. Large parts of the Prairies were unfavourably dry through July, but better moisture in August provided a significant boost for many crops.
For example, the province is estimating this year’s average Saskatchewan durum yield at 38 bu/acre, above StatsCan’s August forecast of 33.4 bu. At 93 and 71 bu, the average expected oat and barley yields are up from StatsCan’s 91 and 61.8 bu, while the average spring wheat yield is seen at about 50 bu, versus 46.6 bu for StatsCan.
The average pea yield of 42 bu is more than 7 bu above the StatsCan estimate, with lentils, at 1,784 lbs/acre, up from 1,313 lbs. The province’s canary yield estimate of 1,343 lbs/acre is 264 lbs above StatsCan, the chickpea estimate is 370 lbs higher at 1,622 lbs, and mustard is 378 lbs higher at 1,141 lbs.