Released on November 15, 2002
Saskatchewan farmers are expected to harvest 13.6 million tonnes of themajor grains, oilseeds, and specialty crops for the 2002 crop year,
according to Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization's
final crop report for the year. This figure takes into account the
estimated production from 3.8 million acres of the 2002 crop not yet
harvested.
Crop production for 2002 is 45 per cent below the 10-year (1992-2001)
average of 24.6 million tonnes, and 31 per cent below 2001 production of
19.8 million tonnes. The below average production is due to below average
harvested area and below average yields.
Harvested area was below average for spring wheat, barley, fall rye, spring
rye, canola, and sunflowers. On a provincial basis, yield estimates are
expected to range from six per cent above average to 44 per cent below
average.
It was reported that crops combined in the southern grainbelt were
generally of better quality than those harvested in the central and
northern grainbelts.
The 2002 spring wheat crop is estimated to grade 10 per cent No. 1 Canada
Western (CW). The overall quality of the durum crop is expected to be four
per cent 1 CW for 2002. Six per cent of the oat crop is expected to grade
1 CW. Malting barley grade for the 2002 crop is expected to be 12 per
cent. Sixty-three per cent of the flax is expected to grade 1 CW.
Canola's average for the top grade is expected to be 46 per cent.
The mustard crop is expected to grade 44 per cent 1 CW for the 2002 crop.
With only 17 per cent of the sunflowers combined, 71 per cent of that crop
is expected to grade 1 CW. Twenty per cent of the lentil crop is expected
to be in the top two grades, and 58 per cent of this year's field pea crop
is estimated to be in the top two grades. Over 60 per cent of the
chickpeas have been combined, and it is expected that six per cent of the
crop will grade 1 CW.
Across the province, the first and second cuts of brome/alfalfa hay on
dryland averaged 0.9 Imperial tons per acre, below the 10-year average of
1.1 Imperial tons per acre. Yields tended to be higher across the southern
grainbelt. Hay yields were about one-half of average across the northern
grainbelt.
Topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as fair to good by almost
90 per cent of reporters, and on hay and pasture land as fair to good by
almost 85 per cent of reporters. This is a significant improvement from
last fall when 88 to 97 per cent of the crop, hay and pasture land was
rated as having poor soil moisture conditions.
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food, and Rural Revitalization thanks crop
reporters for their work in providing the crop report.
The Crop Report is available online at www.agr.gov.sk.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Terry Karwandy
Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-5956