Favorable moisture conditions propelled the pace of planting across the Canadian prairies, with Manitoba and Saskatchewan both reporting above-average planting progress at the start of May.
Manitoba's crops report indicated favorable weather supported the pace of planting across the province, although the provincial crop report did not provide specific soil moisture condition indications. The advantageous weather was reflected in the province's planting pace, which reached 8pc complete as of 6 May, ahead of the five-year average of 6pc.
In Saskatchewan, only 3pc of crop land was reported having surplus moisture soil conditions as of 7 May, down from an average of 4.9pc over the previous five-year period, according to the province's weekly crop report. Crop land rated with adequate moisture condition was reported at 78pc, up from an average of 66pc over the previous five years. Overall, spring planting reached 18pc complete for the province as of 5 May, up from an average of 10pc over the previous five years.
Strong spring start to Canadian grains
Winter crop emergence, and spring planting were both reported as above average for the first week of May, according to the provincial weekly crop updates.
Winter wheat and rye were reported in good conditions across Manitoba, with all portions of the the province indicating positive emergence, early season growth and minimal winter kill as of 6 May. In Central Manitoba, up to 90pc of the crop was reported as surviving the winter and in good condition. Spring planting of wheat, oats, and barely were all reported as progressing either at pace with, or faster than normal at the end of the week across all parts of the province.
In Saskatchewan, spring wheat and durum wheat planting advanced faster than the five-year-average pace , reaching 14pc and 32pc complete, respectively, as of 7 May. The pace of spring wheat planting was above average across most of the province, and advanced the most quickly in the key southwest region, which reached 32pc complete as of 7 May, 20 percentage points above the five-year average. Durum planting was similarly ahead of pace in the southwest, reaching 44pc complete, 28 percentage points ahead of the five-year average.
Saskatchewan spring barley and oat planting reached 19pc and 4.1pc complete as of 7 May. Like wheat, barley planting was ahead of pace across most regions of the provinces, but was the farthest ahead in the southwest, where it reached 52pc complete as of 7 May, 36 percentage points ahead of the five-year average. Oat planting was reported as slightly behind the five-year average, despite all reported regions within the province indicating either average, or above average planting rates as of 7 May. The provincial crop report did not provide an explanation for this, and data in the following week could address this discrepancy.
Canola planting makes early progress
Canola planting has begun in Saskatchewan, and is expected in the following week in Manitoba, according to the provincial reports.
Canola planting reached 9.6pc complete in Saskatchewan as of 7 May, up 5.3 percentage points of the reported average of the previous five years. As with other crops, canola planting was the most complete in the southwest portion of the province, where it was reported as 30pc complete, 21 percentage points ahead of the five-year average.
In Manitoba, spring canola planting was reported as having just began in the central portion of the province, with planting expected to begin in the next week across the rest of the region.
