Rain, hail damage crops in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Agriculture says crops in the province were damaged in the past week due to rain and hail.

According to the crop report, the Tisdale area reported damaged crops and property due to storms on July 2 and isolated areas in the southwest region received heavy hail over the weekend which reportedly damaged crops.

Farmers reported damage to crops of all types after a storm produced pea-to-quarter size hail in Saskatchewan in late June, according to a report from the Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA).

The storms hit the communities of Beechy, Lucky Lake, Wolseley, Indian Head and Neudorf, the CCHA said.

Sask Ag said recent rainfalls over the past few weeks has improved moisture conditions across the province, especially in the southeast and east-central regions.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated at four per cent surplus, 82 per cent adequate, 11 per cent short and three per cent very short.

Ag officials said heavy rains in the past week resulted in more land, specifically in the northeast and northwest regions, to rate as surplus for topsoil moisture and showing symptoms of flood damage in fields.

The rain has also helped improve pasture development, Sask Ag reported, with pasture conditions rated at 12 per cent excellent, 49 per cent good, 30 per cent fair, seven per cent poor and two per cent very poor.

The report said eight per cent of the hay crop has been cut and three per cent is baled or put into silage and quality is currently rated as eight per cent excellent, 66 per cent good, 20 per cent fair and six per cent poor.

Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture rated at two per cent surplus, 71 per cent adequate, 19 per cent short and eight per cent very short.

Sask Ag said despite the storms, crop development is progressing, with 59 per cent of the fall cereals and 24 per cent of the spring cereals at the heading stage.

The crop report said 37 per cent of the canola and mustard crops and 48 per cent of the pulse crops are in the flowering stage.

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