By paNOW

Seeding leaps ahead, but slow in the northeast

May 23, 2013 | 5:41 PM

Seeding activity was going full tilt in Saskatchewan last week as farmers took advantage of dry, warm weather.

Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report released Thursday said seeding was 27 per cent complete provincewide, compared to eight per cent the previous week.

The five-year average for this time of year is approximately 44 per cent seeded.

“Provincially, we’ve had some good progress,” said Grant McLean, crop specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture.

He said seeding advanced in all regions last week, including the northeast where producers have only just begun planting.

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“It’s been quite a bit slower in the northeast. Producers have only six per cent seeded, but significant progress up from the less than one per cent they were reporting last week.”

Seeding varies around the northeast McLean said, explaining that it is as high as 10 per cent around Birch Hills and Wakaw, and as low as four per cent around Meath Park.

“Parts of the Hudson Bay area, over to the east, is additionally slow.”

Hampering seeding activity in the northeast has been wet conditions and road access from flooding.

“Forty-three per cent of the cropland is indicated in a surplus situation and 57 per cent adequate,” said McLean. “Certainly we’re looking at some pretty wet conditions in some parts of the northeast, which has slowed the seeding progress.”

In comparison, the southwest is the furthest along with half of seeding complete. The west-central region is at 29 per cent, followed by the northwest, east-central and southeast at 22 per cent.

Producers however are not pushing the panic button in the northeast. McLean said it is not unusual for the region to be at this stage in May, estimating the region is about seven to ten days behind schedule.

“There’s always a challenge to get the crop in as soon as you can, but it’s not unusual for the latter part of May to see the lion’s share of the crop going in, particularly in the northeast part of the province.”

While producers in the southwest could use some rain, the rest of the province is hoping for dry, warm weather to get caught up on seeding, he said.

bbosker@panow.com

On Twitter: @brentbosker