After a cool and snowy start to spring, seeding is finally getting underway in Saskatchewan.

According to the first crop report of the year, producers in the southern part of the province have started getting their crop in the ground while most farmers in other areas should get going within this week.

Daphne Cruise, a Crops Extension Specialist for the Ministry of Agriculture, says despite the slow start, seeding progress is not too far behind past years.

"When we look back over the history, the ten year average for the entire province we are at four per cent seeded at this time of year, and six per cent when we look at the five-year average," he said. "We're not overly behind it's just the weird spring we had with the winter just not wanting to leave."

Cruise says late snowfalls did help bring moisture to some areas that needed it.

"The south was so dry last year, affecting crop yields and forage yields and we had such a long winter, a cold winter with very little snow cover," she said. "I think at that point there was some concern, but we got those two or three significant snowstorms them at the end of February and in March, and that has definitely helped topsoil moisture get replenished.

Cruise adds there are some areas where topsoil moisture is short, but for the most part, there is enough to get the crop in and germinated.