Flooding and hail among factors keeping Sask. harvest well behind schedule

Some farms in Saskatchewanhave flooded and been hammered by recent hail, and the latest crop report from the Ministry of Agriculture reflects how that weather is affecting harvest.

As of Sept. 9, combining wasonly 18 per cent done for the year, according to the ministry's report for the week of Sept. 3-9.

To give a sense of how low that is, last year 58 per cent of crops were already in the bin. Overthe past five years, harvest has been43 per centdone by now, on average.

The southwest regions of the province are furthest along, at 31 per cent complete.

The east-central and northare the furthest behind. Only eight per cent of harvesting is done in the east-central and northeast regions, and sevenper cent in the northwest.

Just over three-quarters of fall rye and winter wheat are in the bins, whereas four per cent of canola has beenharvested.