| | This information has been made available by Agriculture Financial Services.
TheSeptember 28, 2006 Crop Report is also available as a PDF file on the AFSC website.
Prepared by:
James Wright
Project Manager
Research & Program Development
Lacombe, AB
Telephone: (403)782-8336
Provincial
Cool, wet weather affected much of the province with the exception of the Peace River district. As a result, harvest progress has been slowed to a crawl and is currently estimated at 88% complete, up 5% from two weeks ago. Yields are average to slightly below average for most crops. Quality will be above average, since over 80% of the crops had been harvested before this period of wet weather. Dry, warm weather late in the reporting period and into the weekend has harvest progressing again.
The precipitation has helped sub soil moisture levels in the Red Deer and Camrose regions of the province but concerns of extremely dry conditions for the 2007 crop year remain, especially in the Fairview Region. Sub soil moisture is currently rated 26% poor/ 28% fair/ 40% good/ 6% excellent. On September 14th, 74% of the province was rated in the poor/fair categories.
Lethbridge Region
The region received showery weather which slowed harvesting but did not stop it. As a result, harvest operations are close to completed with principally potatoes and sugar beets remaining outstanding. Much of the unharvested cereal and canola is in the northwest portion of the region, south and east of Calgary. The seeding of winter cereals was delayed in some areas as producers waited for precipitation to allow for good germination. Sub soil moisture is rated 30% poor/ 26% fair/ 37% good/ 7% excellent, a slight improvement from two weeks ago when 66% of the region was rated in poor/fair category.
Red Deer Region
Precipitation fell in all areas of the region with the heaviest amounts in the western half. As a result, very little harvest progress has occurred, up only 3% over the past two weeks. The precipitation was extremely beneficial for sub soil moisture conditions across the region which is currently rated at 3% poor/ 27% fair/ 60% good/ 10% excellent. Two weeks ago, 64% of the region was rated poor/fair.
Camrose Region
Good precipitation amounts of 50 – 100 mm fell across the eastern and central portions of the region. The western and northwest portions received frequent heavy showers which shutdown harvest activity in all areas to an increase in harvest percentage of only 2% from the September 14th report. The precipitation was extremely beneficial but significant dry sub soil moisture conditions continue to persist. Currently, sub soil moisture is rated 20% poor/ 33% fair/ 42% good/ 5% excellent. On September 14th, 75% of the region rated sub soil moisture as poor/fair.
Fairview Region
The region did not experience any significant precipitation and as a result was able to make good harvest progress such that harvest is virtually completed in most areas, with the exception of a small amount of canola. Sub soil moisture ratings are extremely concerning in virtually all areas of the region. Currently, sub soil moisture is rated 62% poor/ 21% fair/ 16% good/ 1% excellent. This is a slight improvement from two weeks ago when 94% of the region was rated poor/fair but indicates how fragile the moisture conditions are in the region and could be a harbinger of an extremely critical situation developing for next summer. |
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