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By Alberta Financial Services Corporation/Government of Alberta

CONDITIONS AS OF OCT. 22

Major regional crop harvest complete despite small snowfall

Oct 25, 2024 | 4:18 PM

Harvest for major crops is complete in the Central Region according to the final 2024 Alberta Crop Report by the Government of Alberta and Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC).

The major crop yield index estimates crop yields are averaging 83.6 per cent of the 5-year average.

Fall-seeded crops are rated as 6 per cent poor, 32 per cent fair, 51 per cent good and 12 per cent excellent.

Sub-surface soil moisture is currently rated at 42 per cent poor, 42 per cent fair, 13 per cent good, 2 per cent excellent and 1 per cent excessive, and pasture growth conditions are rated as 23 per cent poor, 55 per cent fair, 22 per cent good and 0 per cent excellent.

Provincially, harvest is virtually complete at 99 per cent for all crops. Favourable weather in August and early September has allowed harvest to progress at a record pace. This has resulted in the harvest progress being well ahead of the provincial 5-year average of 93 per cent and the 10-year average of 87 per cent for this time of year.

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Regionally, producers in the South, Central, and Peace have now effectively finished harvest while harvest in the North East and North West Regions are both at 97 per cent complete, with expectations of finishing harvest by the end of next week. Major crops with the most left to combine are oats and canola which are 97 and 98 per cent complete, respectively.

As the harvest wraps up, the final estimated crop quality ratings for the 2024 season have been updated, providing a more accurate reflection than the initial projections made in early August. Crop quality for oats and dry peas are rating more in the top two grades than the 5-year average while spring wheat, durum, barley, and canola are all grading less in the top two grades than the 5-year average.

Hard red spring is estimated at 51 per cent 1 C.W and 33 per cent 2 C.W., durum is estimated to be 45 per cent 1 C.W and 35 per cent 2 C.W. and oats are estimated to be 33 per cent 1 C.W. and 36 per cent 2 C.W. Canola is estimated to be 75 per cent 1 Can. and 16 per cent 2 Can.

Barley is overall expected to be 26 per cent Malt, 45 per cent 1 C.W. and 22 per cent 2 C.W. with Malt defined as high quality 1 C.W. grade barley originating from an accepted malting variety.

This report includes the final estimates of dryland yields for this crop season. Provincially, the 5-year yield index for major crops indicates that yields are estimated to be 97.1 per cent of their 5-year average.

The South, North West, and Peace Regions are estimating yields at 12.4, 2.8, and 5.6 per cent above their 5-year average yield, respectively.

The North East yields are estimated to be 10.6 per cent below their 5-year yield average, while the Central Region is estimated to be 16.4 per cent below their 5-year yield average.

Other yields of note include potatoes with dryland yields estimated at 9.7 tons per acre and irrigated at 20.1 tons per acre, sugar beets with estimated yields of 31.8 tonnes per acre, and dry bean yields of 26.3 cwt per acre.

As crop reporting for 2024 ends, Alberta soil moisture remains variable depending on the geographical region. Limited precipitation across the province over the past week has led to unchanged provincial surface soil moisture conditions.

Provincial surface soil moisture rated as good to excellent is at 45 per cent, unchanged from last week. This rating is slightly below the historical good to excellent soil moisture rating averages for this week, with a 5-year average of 48 per cent and a 10-year average of 59 per cent. Regional surface soil moisture ratings (weekly change) are 43 (+5) per cent in the South, 50 (-5) per cent in the Central, 24 (-3) per cent in the North East, 30 (-1) per cent in the North West and 93 (+6) per cent in the Peace.

With the exception of the Peace Region, the province would benefit from additional moisture events to help recharge sub-soil moisture prior to the ground freezing in 2024. Provincial sub-soil moisture good to excellent ratings are at 30 per cent, a 1 per cent decrease from last week. The provincial sub-surface soil moisture rating remains below average for this week with the 5-year average at 46 per cent and the 10-year average at 54 per cent for comparison. This week’s regional sub-surface moisture good to excellent ratings (weekly change) are 29 (-1) per cent in the South, 15 (-1) per cent in the Central, 21 (+0) per cent in the North East, 25 (-4) per cent in the North West and 96 (+8) per cent in the Peace.

With seasonal weather shifting colder the growth of fall-seeded crops and pasture are slowing across the province. Fall-seeded crop is rated as 53 per cent in good to excellent condition provincially, which is below the 5-year average of 64 per cent and the 10-year average of 69 per cent.

Provincial pasture with good to excellent growth conditions decreased to 33 per cent, a 1 per cent decrease from last week. This week’s rating is between the 5-year average of 31 per cent and the 10-year average of 38 per cent.