| | This information has been made available by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.
The September 25, 2008 Crop Report is also available as a PDF file on the AFSC website.
Prepared by:
James Wright
Project Manager
Research and Program Development
Lacombe, AB
Telephone: 403-782-8336
Provincial
The period of September 12 – 20th brought warm, dry weather across the province and provided the opportunity for good harvest progress. The return of cool, showery weather since September 21st has slowed harvesting to a crawl in all regions. Harvest progress is estimated at 60% completed, up from 21% on September 11th . Cereal yields are generally reported as average with canola yields reported as above average. Reported quality remains good to very good though it can be expected to decline if harvest conditions remain difficult.
Though conditions throughout much of September have been cool and damp, provincial sub soil moisture ratings have only increased marginally to 28% poor/ 36% fair/ 33% good/ 3% excellent.
Southern Region
In most years, harvest would be close to completed with the possible exception of along the foothills. In 2008, southern Alberta is one of the least advanced regions with an estimated 50% harvest completion, up from 30% on September 11th. Yield estimates continue to be above average for major crops and average to above average for specialty crops. Crop quality is expected to be average. 85% of the HRS wheat is grading 2-CW or better, 92% of barley is grading 1-CW or better but only 83% of the canola is expected to grade 1-Canada.
Sub soil moisture conditions continue to receive high ratings at 6% poor/ 40% fair/ 48% good/ 6% excellent providing very good conditions for fall seeded crops and promises of good early moisture availability for the 2009 crop.
Central Region
Producers were able to make good harvest progress, particularly in the west portion of the region which had harvested virtually nothing as of September 11th. Current estimates place harvest at 58% complete, up from 15% at last report. Yield estimates continue to be average for cereals and above average for canola. Quality will be below average with 15% of the HRS wheat rated below 3-CW grade, 20% of the barley below 2-CW and only 55% of the canola expected to grade 1-Canada.
Sub soil moisture is rated 22% poor (principally in the east portion)/ 31% fair/ 43% good/ 4% excellent.
North East Region
Producers have been able to make significant harvesting progress over the past two weeks with current estimates at 70% completed, up from 17% September 11th. Many areas are reporting better than expected yields which should result in average cereal and canola production this year despite the dry weather experienced during the growing season. Current quality expectations are good with 90% of the HRS wheat expected to grade 2-CW or better, 90% of the barley to grade 1-CW or better, and 88% of the canola to grade 1-Canada.
Sub soil moisture is rated 26% poor/ 51% fair/ 23% good/ 0% excellent.
North West Region
Harvest in the region was slow to get underway due to the lateness of some of the crops in the region. Producers have been able to harvest 50% of the crops, up from 8% on September 11th. Yield estimates remain average for cereals and above average for canola. Crop quality appears to be good thus far with 85% of the HRS wheat grading 2-CW or better, 93% of the barley at 1-CW or better and 93% of the canola expected to grade 1-Canada.
Sub soil moisture is rated 36% poor/ 34% fair/ 30% good/ 0% excellent.
Peace River Region
Harvest has been slowed some what by cool, damp weather across the region but producers have still been able to make good progress with 64% harvested, up from 25% on September 11th. Yields will be below average to significantly below average in the southern and western portions of the region due to the dry weather experienced during much of the growing season. In the more moist eastern and northern areas, yields should be average to well above average. Grade estimates are promising with 100% of the HRS wheat grading 3-CW or better, 90% of the barley grading 1-CW or better and 92% of the canola expected to grade 1-Canada.
Sub soil moisture conditions remain a concern in most of the principal production areas of the region at 53% poor/ 23% fair/ 21% good/ 3% excellent with all the good & excellent ratings in the eastern and northern areas. |
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