Crop Progress Updates
October 19, 2020
2020 Malting Barley Harvest Quality Update
The barley harvest has all but wrapped up, and this year’s malt barley crop in western Canada will rate as one of the better quality crops in the last ten years with excellent plump kernels, high test weight and protein levels in the 11-13.5% range with a low incidence of DON and limited issues with pre-harvest sprouting. Southern Alberta produced their first large quality barley crop after three years of drought. Saskatchewan had a high quality crop this year with most regions producing above average yields. There were several exceptions, including northern growing areas of Alberta and northwestern Saskatchewan that saw cool and wet weather for much of the growing season, reducing yields and all but wiping out any chance for malting barley selection. On the other extreme, some parts of southern Saskatchewan and Alberta were much too dry resulting in thin, high protein kernels.
October 12, 2020
Official harvest progress by Province:
– As of October 13, Alberta barley harvest is estimated at 97.8% complete (source AB Ag).
– As of October 12, Saskatchewan barley harvest is estimated at 100% complete (source SK Ag).
– As of October 13, Manitoba barley harvest is estimated at 99% complete (source MB Ag).
October 2, 2020
Official harvest progress by Province:
As of Sep 29, Alberta barley harvest is estimated at 82% complete (source AB Ag).
South – 97.2%
Central – 81.7%
North East – 80.0%
North West – 63.0%
Peace – 44.3%
As of Sep 28, Saskatchewan barley harvest is estimated at 98% complete (source SK Ag).
As of September 29, Manitoba barley harvest is estimated at 97% complete (source MB Ag).
September 25, 2020
Official harvest progress by Province:
As of Sep 22, Alberta barley harvest is estimated at 66% complete (source AB Ag).
South – 93%
Central – 62.1%
North East – 52.8%
North West – 46.0%
Peace – 26.4%
As of September 22, Manitoba barley harvest is estimated at 95% complete (source MB Ag).
September 21, 2020
Official harvest progress by province:
As of Sep 15, Alberta barley harvest is estimated at 47% complete (source AB Ag).
As of September 14, Manitoba barley harvest is estimated at 92% complete (source MB Ag).
As of Sep 14, Saskatchewan barley harvest is estimated at 72% complete (source SK Ag).
Barley harvest is advancing quickly throughout the Prairies. If it were not for wet, cold conditions in some regions the barley harvest would be close to finished. […]
September 11, 2020
September 11, 2020 The 2020 growing season in Western Canada saw adequate moisture in many regions of the Prairies. Coupled with cooperative harvest conditions in southern Alberta, as well as much of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, yields and quality results are generally looking above average for western Canadian malting barley this year. However, areas in north […]
September 4, 2020
September 4, 2020 The 2020 growing season in Western Canada saw adequate moisture in many regions of the Prairies (some areas received excessive precipitation), although parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba were also too dry this summer. While both the areas with too much moisture, and those with too little, will suffer losses in terms of […]
August 24, 2020
August 24, 2020 The prairies are forecast to produce 10.5 million tonnes of barley this year. Many farmers are anticipating yields in excess of 80 bushels per acre or bu/ac (4.3 tonnes per hectare or t/ha) which would be 10-15% above average.