Glacier FarmMedia — Alberta saw its overall crop rating improve, but its surface soil became drier, the province’s latest crop report said.
The provincial agriculture department said crop ratings rose two points at 61 per cent good to excellent. Among the major crops the good to excellent totals were:
• Spring wheat up two points at 62 per cent
• Barley up two points at 63 per cent
• Oats up two points at 60 per cent
• Dry peas hold at 60 per cent
• Canola holds at 58 per cent
Read Also
U.S. grains: Chicago wheat futures dip on global supply pressure; corn, soybeans fall
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures fell on Friday and notched a weekly loss, as plentiful…
There’s a wide variation among Alberta’s regions, with northwest leading at 77 per cent good to excellent but the Peace is the worst off at a mere 23 per cent.
For crop development, the report said spring cereals are ahead in their growth with most in the booting stage. The cereals in the south were beginning to form heads.
Of the broadleaf crops, those flowering were:
• Lentils 58 per cent
• Dry peas 53 per cent
• Canola 42 per cent
• Mustard 42 per cent
• Chickpeas 35 per cent
Also, 48 per cent of Alberta canola was in the rosette stage and 43 per cent of the dry peas were in the seven-to-12 node stage.
Meanwhile the province’s soil rating lost eight points on the week at 57 per cent good to excellent. Tops in Alberta was the central region at 82 per cent and the Peace came in at 31 per cent.
The report said June rains helped soil moisture levels in the south, central and northwest regions, but below normal levels persist in the northeast and Peace as well as in some parts of the south.
Tame hay quality improved five points to 42 per cent good to excellent and the first cut is underway. Dryland hay quality rated 54 per cent good to excellent and that on irrigated land was 82 per cent. Alberta’s pastures are at 49 per cent good to excellent.
