Seeding almost done in west-central Sask.

By Your Southwest Media Group

Farmers in west-central Saskatchewan had nearly finished seeding their fields early last week.

Producers had completed work on 90 per cent of their fields -- 89 per cent in the region stretching from the Rural Municipality of Milden west to the Alberta border. That was up from 69 per cent the previous week, according to the province's latest crop report.

Crop conditions range from fair to excellent. Wind, heat, gophers and dry conditions caused minor to moderate damage, while flea beetles and flooding caused some minor damage, said the Agriculture Department's report for the week ending June 1.

Rainfall totals varied across the region. The Rural Municipality of Marriott received 23 millimetres during the week; Snipe Lake, 20 and 16; Lacadena, 18; Monet, 16; the RM of Biggar, 13; the RM of Kindersley, eight; St. Andrews and the RM of Harris, five; and Pleasant Valley, three.

Topsoil moisture levels sat at 92 per cent adequate and eight per cent short in fields, and about 85 per cent adequate and 15 per cent short in hay and pasture land.

Provincewide, seeding advanced significantly during the week, reaching 80 per cent complete, up from 52 per cent the previous week.

Farmers in the southwest remained the most advanced at 91 per cent finished, just ahead of west-central at 90 per cent, southeast at 87 per cent, northwest at 86 per cent, northeast at 67 per cent, and east-central at 63 per cent.