Most Saskatchewan crops yielded above the 10-year average this year, with durum, oats, canola, and mustard being the exceptions.
The final provincial crop report for the 2024 growing season on Wednesday pegged the 2024 average provincial canola yield at 32.7 bu/acre. If accurate, that would be down 0.7 bu from last year’s final Statistics Canada estimate and a major 5 bu below the 2024 model-based StatsCan projection released in September.
At 33.1 bu/acre, the province’s durum yield estimate is well up from last year’s 24.9 bu, but also below the September StatsCan projection of 35.3, while the average provincial oat yield of 78.7 bu/acre is down from 83.4 bu last year and below the StatsCan forecast of 86 bu/acre.
The average mustard yield was pegged by the province at 837.1 lbs/acre, versus 632 lbs in 2023 and the September StatsCan estimate of 739 lbs.
The province’s Hard Red Spring and other spring wheat yields of 46 bu and 51.8 bu/acre were mixed versus the single StatsCan spring wheat estimate of 46.1 bu for last year and 46.5 bu for 2024. The provincial barley estimate of 63.4 bu/acre, was up from 57.4 bu in 2023 and above the 2024 StatsCan forecast of 61 bu.
Flax was the only oilseed crop to yield higher than the 10-year average with an average of 23 bu/acre across the province, up from 17.6 bu last year and above the StatsCan estimate of 20.9 bu.
Yields for all legume crops were estimated by the province above the 10-year average. Average field pea yields were pegged 36 bu/acre, compared to 29.8 bu a year ago and the StatsCan projection of 37.2 bu. The average soybean yield was shown in today’s report at 29.7 bu/acre, up from 24.2 bu in 2023 and above StatsCan’s 26.9 bu estimate. Lentils yielded 1,306 lbs/acre, up from 1.132 lbs last year but down slightly from the StatsCan estimate of 1,334 lbs, while chickpeas averaged 1,319 lbs/acre - up from 1,127 lbs in 2023 but down from the federal agency’s September projection of 1,601 lbs.
The average canary yield was estimated at 1,339.5 lbs/acre in today’s report, versus just 940 for last year’s final StatsCan estimate and the September projection of 1,251 lbs.
Most Saskatchewan crops got off to a good start this year due to the abundance of spring moisture, the report said. Cool conditions slowed early crop development, but hot and dry weather in July and August caused crops to rapidly develop and took a toll on yield potential.
The majority of the high-acreage crops in Saskatchewan graded in the top two categories, indicating good overall crop quality, the report said.
Although producers would still welcome more rain heading into winter, current topsoil moisture conditions are better than they were last year. Provincial cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 49% adequate, 44% short and 7% very short, versus 31% adequate, 44% short and 25% very short last year.
