Crop report: Dry conditions continue to cause problems

Dry conditions continue to torment farmers across Saskatchewan.

The latest crop report from the province for the period of June 4 to 10 simply says “many of the areas in the province that are in need of rain did not receive any this past week.”

That lack of moisture is putting crops well behind their usual developmental stages for this point of the season.

On Wednesday, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan asked for help for farmers from both the provincial and federal governments.

Localized rainfall helped areas in the northwest and southeast areas of Saskatchewan. Weyburn was the wettest spot in the province, receiving approximately 69 millimeters of rain this past week.

Areas like Craik, Outlook and Kindersley weren’t so fortunate. Those areas have received less than 25 millimetres of rain since April 1.

Seeding is mostly complete throughout the province, according to the report.

Topsoil conditions continue to worsen in the drying conditions. Topsoil moisture is only rated at 21-per-cent adequate, 42-per-cent short and 37-per-cent very short.

The report said high winds, a lack of rainfall and frost over the past week accounted for the majority of crop damage.