Saskatchewan producers are off to a good start as many prepare for the next step of crop production.
Bill Prybylski, one of the vice presidents for Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) said majority of Saskatchewan producers will wrap up their seeding operations in the next few days to a week.
“For the most part, crops have gotten off to a really good start,” he said. “In the last few weeks, there’s been some general rains particularly areas of the province (that have) been dry for quite some time.
Prybylski said there’s sufficient moisture for adequate germination, and with a little bit of heat, crops will be advancing quite quickly, Prybylski said.
“We’re going to need some significant rain events between now and harvest to bring the crops to final maturity,” he said. “But as it sits right now, the crops are off to a good start.”
Saskatchewan farmer Craig Eger located in Coronach, Sask. also agrees with that point.
Eger completed his seeding over a week ago. Next on his plate is ‘crop dusting’, which is a process of protecting the crops from bugs and pests. With the forecasted dry and hot summer conditions this year, the thought of a drought is always on the minds of producers such as Eger.
“It’s always a concern,” he said. “Right now, we are sitting pretty good. I guess this area here is not quite prone to drought as the south and the west. But it can happen.”
Prybylski said it’s too early to know for certain if Saskatchewan producers are looking at a drought this summer. While Environment Canada is predicting a hot summer, Prybylski said that does play in effect of worsening the chances of drought later this year.
“Anytime we get the extreme heat, that means moisture-loss of the soil and stress on the crops,” he said. “The hotter it gets, the more rain we’re going to need. If we get the combination of hot weather and dry conditions, that’s certainly going to make the drought possibilities that much more reality and more severe.”