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Producers getting caught up on seeding

May 30, 2013 | 5:13 PM

Producers are getting closer to where they’re supposed to be for spring planting.

In the weekly crop report released Thursday, Saskatchewan Agriculture reported spring seeding had reached the two-third mark and is now almost on par with the five-year average, said crop specialist Grant McLean.

“Our reporters are indicating we have around 67 per cent of the 2013 crop planted and that’s pretty close to the five-year average of 70 per cent.”

All regions of the province made significant headway this week. The southwest, at 85 per cent has the most planted while the northeast continues to lag behind the rest of the province with 51 per cent seeded.

After a slow start, McLean explained producers have been able to get a lot of seeding done because of a spell of warm, dry weather.

He said more of that weather is needed, especially in the northeast.

“The five-year average for the northeast is 71 per cent, so many reporters are indicating that they are going to need warm, dry conditions to facilitate continued advancing in that seeding operation.”

However, some in the northeast didn’t get that ideal seeding weather last week, said McLean. Around Humboldt and Coronach more than two inches of rain temporarily halted seeders.

“That’s pretty challenging to get into some of those fields that were really wet last fall and have received some precipitation which is compounding the access to many of those fields.”

While the central and north half of the province has enough moisture, McLean said the south will be looking for rain in the next few days.

Provincially, the majority of producers have adequate moisture levels, but 13 per cent have too much and six per cent are reporting not enough.

bbosker@panow.com

On Twitter: @brentbosker