Alberta crop condition ratings continued to deteriorate this past week, with initial yield estimates for major crops mixed compared to a year earlier.
Friday’s provincial crop report pegged the condition of all crops in the province at 51% good to excellent as of Tuesday, down 23 points from two weeks earlier and below the five- and 10-year averages of 56% and 59%. Meanwhile, the condition of major crops (spring wheat, canola, barley, oats, and dry peas) slipped to 49% good to excellent from 55% the previous week.
Based on conditions as of Tuesday, the province is estimating this year’s average spring wheat yield at 48.1 bu/acre, up 1 bu from Statistics Canada’s final estimate for the 2023 growing season. At 40.5 bu/acre, the average expected dry pea yield is up from 33.2 bu a year ago.
On the other hand, this year’s average Alberta canola yield is seen at 34.6 bu/acre, below 37.9 bu in 2023. The average estimated barley yield of 62.3 bu/acre is just marginally below 62.9 bu last year, while the oat yield, pegged at 70 bu/acre, is well below last year’s average of 85.4 bu.
The South Region – where yield expectations are also the highest - has the highest proportion of crops rated as good to excellent condition at 70%, followed by the North East Region at 58%, the Peace at 54%, the North West at 30%, and the Central Region at 27%.
All regions continue to report crops in variable conditions due to hot and dry conditions through July, with the greatest concern being noted in areas with the lowest soil moisture reserves, the report said. If the dry conditions continue, expectations are that the crop will use the remaining soil moisture to fill existing seeds rather than developing new seeds. Parts of the North East, North West, and Peace regions did receive meaningful rainfall last week, but the remainder of the province is hoping for additional rainfall “to be confident that crops will yield as expected.”
The hot and dry weather over the past month is encouraging crops to mature faster than average.
Provincial surface moisture was rated 33% good to excellent as of Tuesday, down 2 points from a week earlier, while sub-surface moisture was rated at 27% good to excellent, down 4 points.
Region One: South (Strathmore, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Foremost)
• Crops rated in good to excellent condition are 69 per cent for major crops and 70 per cent for all crops.
• The early estimated yields are 50 bushels per acre for durum wheat, 50 bushels per acre for spring triticale, 23 bushels per acre for lentils, 21 bushels per acre for chickpeas and 28 bushels per acre for mustard.
• Dryland first cut hay is 98 per cent complete with a yield of 1.5 tons per acre and irrigated first cut is 99 per cent complete with a yield of 2.6 tons per acre. Irrigated hay second cut is reported to be 12 per cent completed with a yield of 2.2 tons per acre.
• Soil sub-surface moisture is described as limited with a reported 22 per cent as poor, 51 per cent as fair, 27 per cent as good, 0 per cent as excellent and 0 per cent as excessive.
Region Two: Central (Rimbey, Airdrie, Coronation, Oyen)
• Major crops and all crops combined are rated as 25 and 27 per cent good to excellent, respectively.
• Early estimated yields are 30 bushels per acre for durum wheat, 54 bushels per acre for spring triticale, 23 bushels per acre for lentils, 23 bushels per acre for chickpeas, and 22 bushels per acre for mustard.
• Dryland hay first cut is 93 per cent complete yielding 1.5 tons per acre, while those who are able to make a second cut are 6 per cent complete with a yield of 1.0 ton per acre.
• Limited rains over the last week had negligible impact on sub-surface moisture, which is rated as 53 per cent poor, 34 per cent fair, 12 per cent good, 1 per cent excellent and 0 per cent excessive.
Region Three: North East (Smoky Lake, Vermilion, Camrose, Provost)
• The proportion of crops rated as in good to excellent condition is 58 per cent for both major crops and all crops.
• First-cut dryland hay is reported as 95 per cent complete with a 1.6 tons per acre yield. Those who are taking a second cut are 1 per cent complete with a 1.0 ton per acre yield.
• Areas of the region reported significant rains, resulting in regional sub-surface moisture reported as 22 per cent poor, 44 per cent fair, 33 per cent good, 1 per cent excellent and 0 per cent excessive.
Region Four: North West (Barrhead, Edmonton, Leduc, Drayton Valley, Athabasca)
• Crops reported as in good to excellent condition are 30 per cent for both major crops and all crops.
• First-cut dryland hay is reported as 98 per cent complete with a 1.5 ton per acre yield. Second cut dryland hay is 1 per cent complete with a yield of 2.0 tons per acre. • Regional showers were welcomed over the last week and sub-surface moisture is reported as 26 per cent poor, 55 per cent fair, 18 per cent good, 1 per cent excellent and 0 per cent excessive.
Region Five: Peace (Fairview, Falher, Grande Prairie, Valleyview)
• Good to excellent rated crop is reported as at 54 per cent for both major crops and all crops.
• Dryland hay first cut is 95 per cent complete with a yield of 1.3 tons per acre. Those taking a second cut are 11 per cent complete with yields of 1.0 tons per acre.
• Regional sub-surface moisture is reported as 2 per cent poor, 43 per cent fair, 49 per cent good, 6 per cent excellent and 0 per cent excessive.
