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Central Alberta harvest is 96 per cent complete

Central Alberta harvest is 96 per cent complete
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As of Tuesday, harvest is 96 per cent complete in Alberta’s central region. (File photo from The Canadian Press)

Central Alberta harvest is 96 per cent complete

Dry and warm weather conditions in central Alberta have been favourable for harvest operations as producers have begun fall fieldwork, according to the provincial government’s latest crop report.

As of Tuesday, harvest is 96 per cent complete in the central region, with estimated yields nine per cent above the five-year averages.

Harvest progress is ahead of the five-year average of 71 per cent and 10-year average of 73 per cent. Still standing crops include two per cent of oats, four per cent of canola and 20 per cent of potato and flaxseed.

Crop quality for malt barley and the top two grades of hard red spring wheat, canola and dry peas is above their regional five-year averages. Quality for the top two grades of durum wheat, oats and feed barley is below the five-year averages.

About 91 per cent of hard red spring wheat, 82 per cent of durum wheat and 73 per cent of oats are grading in the top two grades. About 48 per cent of barley is eligible for malt and 40 per cent is grading as No. 1 feed. About 88 per cent of canola is grading as No. 1 and nine per cent as No. 2. For dry peas, 36 per cent are grading as No. 1, with 57 per cent as No. 2.

Fall seeded crops are rated as 12 per cent poor, 46 per cent fair, 41 per cent good and one per cent excellent. Pasture conditions are rated as 31 per cent poor, 49 per cent fair, 19 per cent good and one per cent excellent.

About 88 per cent of total dryland tame hay in the region was from first cut, with the average yield (five-year averages shown in brackets) at 1.7 (1.3) tons per acre. The remaining 12 per cent was from second cut, with yield at 1.5 (1.5) tons per acre. For irrigated hay, first cut hay accounted for 80 per cent of the total, with yield reported at 2.3 (2.2) tons per acre, while second cut hay accounted for 20 per cent, with yield at 1.1 (1.2) tons per acre.

Provincially, about 96 per cent of all crops have been harvested, which is on par with the last year’s progress. Harvest progress is 26 per cent ahead of the five-year average and 20 per cent ahead of the 10-year average. About two per cent of crops are in swath, and another two per cent are still standing.



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