The Manitoba potato crop is 60 per cent in the ground with rapid progress expected over the next week, the May 17 provincial potato report from Manitoba Agriculture’s Vikram Bisht said.
Potato planting in the province started on April 27, weeks ahead of last year’s start date of May 11. Snow cover and mid-April snow fall delayed planting by about a week, Bisht noted.
Planting in the western side of Manitoba ranges from 60 to 100 per cent done. In the central areas around Portage, growers are at zero to 50 done, and the southern portion of the province is close to 20 per cent planted.
“With good weather in the forecast planting should be over 75 per cent within a week. In comparison, in 2021 over 75 per cent of planting was completed by mid-May, but only about 15 per cent in 2022,” Bisht said.
The first crop emergence is expected for the first week of June for early planted fields, the report noted.
“Planting operations are progressing rapidly, given the dry spring and easy field access. Soil conditions are ideal in most regions for rapid planting. Some short delays did occur due to scattered rains. Portage area will need a few more days for fields to dry before seeding can continue,” Bisht said.
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