MarketsFarm – As the heydays of summer approach, Alberta reported that its crops were in good shape. The crop report placed all crops in the province at 75 per cent good to excellent, slightly above the five-year average.
The rains throughout June were credited with the turnaround, but overall growth and development remained somewhat behind the long-term averages.
Of the cereals, spring wheat led the way at 82 per cent good to excellent, followed by oats at 80 per cent, barley at 76 per cent and durum wheat lagging behind at 63 per cent.
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Varied precipitation and warm temperatures were generally beneficial for crop development across Alberta during the week ended July 8, according to the latest provincial crop report released July 11.
Among the oilseeds flax topped the list at 79 per cent good to excellent with canola next at 71 per cent. At only 41 per cent good to excellent mustard is the worst rated crop throughout Alberta.
Chickpeas stood above the pulses at 84 per cent good to excellent, with dry peas at 75 per cent and lentils at 72 per cent.
Potatoes were pegged at 68 per cent good to excellent and tame hay at 62 per cent.
The report noted the turnaround this year in soil moisture levels. Just prior to this month’s rain, the surface soil was 43 per cent good to excellent. As of June 27, that climbed to 76 per cent good to excellent, along with five per cent excessive.
It’s a similar story for the subsurface moisture levels. Going into June it was estimated at 37 per cent good to excellent. That now clocked in at 61 per cent good to excellent.
