With harvest operations already underway in the province, three percent of the crop has already been combined. The weekly crop report from the provincial Ministry of Agriculture, released Thursday, showed this is well ahead of the five-year average, which sees less than one percent of the crop harvested.  

Another three percent of the crop is ready to straight-cut, and it is expected that number will rise quickly as the heat is causing crops to dry down quickly. 

The topsoil moisture in the province has continued to decline, with cropland topsoil moisture in Saskatchewan now rated as three percent adequate and 97 percent short of very short. For hay and pasture land, it is rated as two percent adequate and 98 percent short of very short.  

Pastures have seen reduced growth due to the hot and dry weather. Just 19 percent of the province’s pastures are rated as fair, with 35 percent poor and 46 percent very poor.  

The hot weather was the primary cause of crop damage in the past week, along with drought stress and wind. Grasshoppers are also an issue in many parts of the province, but options for dealing with them are extremely limited due to the start of harvest. The dry conditions are also leading to the Ministry to caution producers to be extra vigilant for the signs of combine or field fires.