Majority of central Alberta crops rated good or excellent

Meantime, second-cut hay is yielding 1.3 t/acre, while surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface shown in brackets) are rated as 15 (13) per cent poor, 36 (37) per cent fair, 45 (44) per cent good and 4 (6) per cent excellent.

This week’s crop report is the first of the growing season with harvest progress reporting.

While the key messaging from crop reporters continue to highlight above average yield expectations and above average growing conditions, they also note rapidly decreasing soil moisture through August. As at August 23, 88 per cent of all crops across the province are still standing compared to a five-year average of 86 per cent. Four per cent of crops are in the swath (five percent on five-year average) and eight per cent is combined (10 per cent on five-year average).

Despite the South region completing seeding much earlier than normal this spring, combining is not starting with that same relatively early timeframe. While still very early, canola is only four per cent in the swath compared to a 10-year average of 14 per cent for this time in the season. Growing conditions and dry land yield expectations both tell an optimistic story for harvest results. A yield index of 112 is expected across the province compared to the five-year average benchmark. Spring cereal and pulse yield expectations are all well above long-term averages. Oilseeds are also expected to yield above long-term normal, but by a much smaller margin.

The Peace region has the highest yield index expectation of the province relative to regional long-term averages. The Northwest is the only region with yield expectations below the 10-year average, but very modestly at a 97 yield index. Irrigated crop expectations are very consistent with long term averages, with the exception of lentils and chickpeas being well below normal expectations and flax being well above normal expectations.

Sixty-nine per cent of all crops are rated as good or excellent growing conditions across the province. This is still ahead of five and 10-year averages (55 and 63 per cent respectively), but has deteriorated from 75 per cent just over one month ago on July 12. Potatoes, sugar beets and dry beans have a much higher percentage of the crop rated as poor relative to their respective normals, whereas spring cereals are now heavier weighted as excellent rating relative to normal.

The higher than average growing conditions and yield expectations for this year have materialized after the heavy rainfall events in June that were so widespread across Alberta. June replenished surface soil moisture and accelerated crop growth and potential. However, over the last month a rapid reversal in that trend on soil moisture is reported and very low sub-surface soil moisture levels are not offering much stockpile moisture or buffer to crops now that rains have been more limited. Across the province, 61 per cent of sub-surface soil moisture is rated as poor or fair, compared to 39 per cent on a 10-year average.

Grasshoppers and flea beetles are the key noted pests of concerns, although still both largely in the moderate rating. In the South, grasshoppers are 38 per cent moderate or over threshold. Flea beetles are three per cent over threshold in the Central region and lygus bugs are three per cent over threshold in the Peace.

Dryland second-cut hay is averaging 1.2 t/acre, precisely in line with both the five and 10-year averages. Irrigrated hay is slightly below five-year average (1.8) at 1.5 t/acre.

For growing conditions, both pasture and hay are more consistently rated as good or fair compared to the long-term averages, with much lower acreage of each poor or excellent compared to normal.

Pasture conditions are reported poorest in the South and highest in the North West.

by rdnewsNOW Staff

Majority of central Alberta crops rated good or excellent

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