b"ready early earlier on, it was even delayed somewhat, Sawatzky explains in a phone interview.Usually by mid-June the Manitoba crop would be fully emerged across the province, but this year it only sits at just below 50 per cent. Sawatzky notes the rain did cause emergence to come faster this year once the seed was in the ground.The fields are full of water. And then sometimes, (growers) would get on and that next weekend there'd be big rains again, and puddles of water on those fields that had been planted. So that's where some of the seed rot issues will be coming in, he says. The full extent of the damagethe seed rot is still to be determined.The one bright spot of the ongoing rain has been that the provinces irrigation reservoirs have been replenished. Last year the province suffered from a drought which caused the reservoirs to run out of water early in the growing season.Sawatzky expects Manitoba acreage to be similar to last year.A potato field at Kroeker Farms in Manitoba.PHOTO: KROEKER FARMSSome growers planted extra acres where they could offset any flooded-out fields. Across the rest of the country, Stamper hasIt just kept delaying the planting. The generally heard acreage is flat this year. Acreage is expected to be slightly down in Quebec and Prince Edward Island, whileland would almost get dry enough, Alberta is seeing an increase. and then theyd get another rain Movement of P.E.I. seed is currently restricted by the CFIA. However Alberta growers are predicting increased acreagepretty well every weekend. So that for seed potatoes, she explains. They know there's a reallydelayed planting, even the ground good, strong demand domestically and in the U.S. includingthat is often ready early earlier on it for processing, so overall acreage will be on the rise in this province. was even delayed somewhat. Growth is looking good in potato fields as of mid-June, Stamper says. There is concern about what the rest of theDAN SAWATZKYgrowing season will bring weatherwise, but Stamper says the industry is overall optimistic. A potato field on D&C Vander Zaag Farms being wateredby irrigation in the Melancthon region of Ontario. PHOTO: EUGENIA BANKSSPUDSMART.COM Summer 202221"