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Seeding in the northeast on track

Jun 6, 2013 | 12:52 PM

After a slow start, producers in the northeast have caught up to the rest of the province on seeding.

In fact, with 87 per cent of the 2013 crop in the ground, northeast producers are actually slightly ahead of both regional and provincial five-year averages.

“Well, there was very little or no rainfall and so seeding progressed rapidly this past week, said Grant McLean, a crop specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, adding the five-year average for the northeast is 85 per cent.

Across the province 83 per cent of the crop has been planted, which is on par with the five-year average of 82 per cent.

All regions are ahead of where they should be for this time of year according to Thursday’s crop report with the exception of the southeast where seeding is 71 per cent completed.

McLean said seeding in that region has been set back by significant rainfall.

“Right along the US border reported four inches of rain — two to four inches in that Radville, Coronach area … so that’s really handicapped those individuals in their ability to get the balance of their crop planted.”

While farmers will be pushing this week to get their remaining acres seeded, the majority are putting away their seeders.

“Individuals are looking forward to the next week or so to their in crop weed control and scouting to evaluate seeding operations. So seeding is pretty well, I think, on the downward slide.”

Mclean said despite most crops trailing behind their normal stages of development for this time of year, the majority are in good to excellent condition, adding rain would be welcomed in certain regions to give crops a boost.

The province reported most crop damage this week was caused by the flea beetle and cutworm damage in canola crops, excess moisture and wind.

bbosker@panow.com

On Twitter: @brentbosker