By rdnewsNOW staff

Alberta Crop Report

Majority of central area crop conditions reporting as good or excellent

Jul 31, 2020 | 12:23 PM

According to the latest Alberta Crop Report by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), crop conditions in the Central Region are 32 per cent ahead of the five-year average of 61 per cent good and excellent.

Crop stages for spring cereals are being reported as mid-way through flowering, while fall-seeded cereals are entering early dough stage. Oilseed and pulse crops are over 30 per cent podding.

Tame pasture is currently rated as six per cent poor, 10 per cent fair, 69 per cent good and 15 per cent excellent.

First-cut dryland hay is reported as 51 per cent completed with estimated yields of 1.8 ton per acre and quality rated as 59 per cent good and excellent. First-cut irrigated hay is 50 per cent completed with estimates of 2.5 ton per acre yields, and 65 per cent rated as good and excellent quality. Harvest of second-cut irrigated hay has not started.

Soil moisture ratings are estimated as 83 per cent good or excellent with two per cent rated excessive for surface, and 89 per cent good or excellent and less than one per cent rated excessive for sub-surface.

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Province-wide, rain is still fairly persistent across Central, North West, North East and the southern portion of Peace regions, with widespread thunderstorm activity generating localized moisture and hail activity.

Provincial forage crop growth ratings remain high with tame pasture at 89 per cent good or excellent and hay reported as 90 per cent good or excellent.

First-cut dryland hay is behind the five-year average of 72 per cent complete with just 56 per cent completed across Alberta, with yields estimated at 1.9 ton per acre and quality rated as 55 per cent good and 10 per cent excellent. Quite a bit of hay has been put up as haylage or high-moisture bales due to continued wet conditions in many areas.

First-cut irrigated hay is also behind the five-year average of 96 per cent done with 88 per cent complete, with yields of 2.4 ton per acre and quality rated as 59 per cent good and 19 per cent excellent. Second-cut has not yet begun for dryland, while irrigated hay is approximately 26 per cent harvested with yields estimated at 2.1 tons per acre.

North West region remains well below the five- and 10-year averages with Peace three points lower, while the North East is five points above the five-year average and on par with the 10-year average. South and Central regions are experiencing good or excellent crop conditions well above the five- and 10-year normal.

Damage to crop condition and quality in wet areas is becoming more evident with time, primarily affecting peas, canola and barley. Crop staging for spring cereals is mid-way through flowering while fall cereals are in early dough, as compared to the five-year averages of early milk and hard dough respectively.

Oilseeds and pulses are 44 per cent podding compared to the five-year average of 57 per cent podding.

Early dryland yield estimates are in. Provincially, these estimates are above both the five- and 10-year averages based on the current conditions.

The southern regions of the province are well above the five-year norm ranging from 112 to 132 per cent above, while North West and Peace regions are lower at 84 and 92 per cent respectively. Soil moisture reserves relative to the long-term normal remain high across parts of Alberta, with a few pockets now moderately low.