52% of Saskatchewan crops seeded, behind five-year average: report

The Saskatchewan crop report for May 17 to May 23 shows that 52 per cent of the 2022 crop is now seeded, which is up 33 per cent from the previous week.

This is still below the five-year average of 78 per cent for this time of year.

Matt Struthers, crops extension specialist with the agriculture ministry said eastern Saskatchewan has seen a lot of precipitation which has caused a delay for seeding

“It’s just far too wet to seed in a lot of fields,” Struthers told Global News.

Struthers said the western half of the province, however, had a dry winter and very dry spring, and is seeing most of the seeding progress.

“Of course, they’re going to have disadvantages to that lack of moisture for germination and crop emergence and then also prolonged crop health going forward,” Struthers added.

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Struthers said some low-lying areas in the east may never dry out in time and not be seeded at all.

Clinton Monchuk who farms northeast of Lanigan, Sask., said their crops are about half done for seeding.

“You don’t have to go very far east and then all of a sudden you can see that farmers haven’t started seeding or they’re just starting seeding right now,” Monchuk said.

“The further west you go, the more farmers are done planting.”

Monchuk said he hopes to have his crops planted in the next week or two.

Monchuk said he knows there’s lots of farmers east of Yorkton and Foam Lake that are having a tough time because it’s so wet.

“Hopefully we can get some dry weather and they can get out into the fields and get some seeds in the ground,” Monchuk said.

Struthers said there’s no reason to panic yet with the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation allowing for seeding until June 20, so there’s still plenty of time to get seeds in the ground.

Struthers said one of the issues with delayed seeding or seeding further into the summer is that crops have less time to grow and farmers will have less of a crop.

“You’re also allowing that crop to be smaller and younger and a little bit weaker during stages of the summer that might see more adverse weather climates or weather situations,” Struthers said.

“It’s not a perfect place to be but we’re certainly not there yet,” Struthers added.