Glacier FarmMedia | MarketsFarm – Prior to Alberta getting rain over the weekend of June 21 and 22, the province’s crops were well below the five-year average for ratings. As of June 17, Alberta Agriculture said they were listed as 50 per cent good to excellent overall compared to the average of 71 per cent.
The report added, “crop development remains ahead of typical seasonal progress.”
Among Alberta’s cereals, its winter crops were faring the best at 68 per cent good to excellent for fall rye and 62 per cent for winter wheat. The spring cereals were led by durum at 56 per cent good to excellent, followed by spring wheat, barley and oats at 51 per cent.
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Canola lagged behind the other oilseeds at 45 per cent good to excellent, with mustard at 67 per cent and flax at 60 per cent.
As for the pulses, lentils were rated at 62 per cent good to excellent, followed by chickpeas at 55 per cent and dry peas at 52 per cent.
Also, mixed grains were pegged at 75 per cent good to excellent and potatoes at 99 per cent.
Alberta Agriculture said crop spraying was two-thirds complete, well ahead of the five-year average of 49 per cent.
The province’s surface soil moisture levels of 37 per cent good to excellent continued to lag behind the five-year average of 65 per cent.
However, there were significant improvements in the good to excellent ratings from the previous week.
- Northwest 50 per cent, up 16 points
- Peace 46 per cent, up 21 points
- Central 41 per cent, up 25 points
- Northeast 40 per cent, up 23 points
- South 25 per cent, up six points.
That also generated improvements in the subsurface soil levels.
- Peace 54 per cent, up 17 points
- Northwest 50 per cent, up 18 points
- Central 42 per cent, up seven points
- Northeast 35 per cent, up 18 points
- South 26 per cent, up seven points
