Alberta farmers continue to report above-average yield expectations and growing conditions, but soil moisture has decreased rapidly this past month, according to Alberta’s latest Crop Report.
As of Aug. 23, 88 per cent of all crops across the province are still standing. This is slightly better than the five-year average of 86 per cent.
Growing conditions and dry land yield expectations both tell an optimistic story for harvest results. A yield index of 112 is expected across the province, compared to the five-year average benchmark. Spring cereal and pulse yield expectations are all well above long-term averages.
In Central Alberta, crop conditions indicate a current 10-year expected dryland yield index of 108, with 76 per cent of all crops rated good or excellent. Additionally, hot and dry weather with rapidly maturing crops, and some reports of localized hail damage, has been reported in the central region.
Oilseeds are also expected to yield above long-term normal, but by a much smaller margin. Irrigated crop expectations are very consistent with long-term averages, with the exception of lentils and chickpeas being well below normal expectations and flax being well above normal expectations.
Sixty-nine per cent of all crops are rated as good or excellent growing conditions across the province. This is still ahead of five and 10-year averages (55 and 63 per cent respectively) but has deteriorated from 75 per cent just over one month ago on July 12.
Potatoes, sugar beets and dry beans have a much higher percentage of the crop rated as poor relative to their respective normals, whereas spring cereals are now heavier weighted as excellent rating relative to normal.
The higher-than-average growing conditions and yield expectations for this year materialized after the heavy rainfall events in June.
June replenished surface soil moisture and accelerated crop growth and potential, but over the past month a rapid reversal in that trend on soil moisture has been reported. Very low sub-surface soil moisture levels are not offering much stockpile moisture or buffer to crops now that rains have been more limited. Across the province, 61 per cent of sub-surface soil moisture is rated as poor or fair, compared to 39 per cent on a 10-year average.
In the central region, surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface shown in brackets) are rated as 15 (13) per cent poor, 36 (37) per cent fair, 45 (44) per cent good and 4 (6) per cent excellent.
Send your news tips
Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter