Central Alberta farmers still need more moisture to allow crops to finish growing, according to the provincial government’s latest crop report.
Further moisture is “required” for crop yields to reach their current potential, according to the Alberta Crop Report, which was released Thursday, July 27 features conditions as of Tuesday, July 25.
Report respondents within the province’s central and northwest regions did indicate overall improvements in good to excellent crop ratings. Decreased ratings were reported in the south, northeast and peace regions.
“Provincially, the proportion of crops rated good to excellent is 43 per cent for all crops and 44 per cent for major crops,” states the report.
Provincial spring cereal staging is reported as ranging between late flowering to early dough development, with the majority of the crop at various stages of milk development.
In central Alberta, canola crop development is reported as a slim majority of the crop still flowering, with just under half of the crop reported as at the podding stage.
The majority of the province’s dryland crop yield estimates are below the five- and 10-year averages. Dryland all crop five-year yield indexes for the central region indicate early yield estimates at 27 per cent below the five-year average.
Regional surface (sub-surface) moisture in Central Alberta is reported as 25 (27) per cent poor, 37 (34) per cent fair, 23 (22) per cent good, 16 (18) per cent excellent and 0 (0) per cent excessive.
Progress on the first cut of hay in the local area is reported as 88 per cent complete for dryland with yields at 65 per cent of the five-year average. Irrigated hay has completed the first cut with yields at 67 per cent of the five-year average. The second cut of dryland hay is reported to have begun.
The provincial progress on the first cut of hay is reported to be 85 per cent complete for dryland and 97 per cent complete for irrigation. The second cut is reported to have begun for dryland hay in the Central, North East, and North West regions, as well as for irrigated hay in the South and Central regions.
Provincial tame hay growth (10-year average in brackets) is reported at 26 (16) per cent poor, 36 (24) per cent fair, 27 (45) per cent good and 12 (15) per cent excellent. Provincial pasture growth (10-year average) is reported as 35 (20) per cent poor, 34 (26) per cent fair, 24 (44) per cent good and 7 (10) per cent excellent.
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