Manitoba producers hold out hope for good soybean harvest

After a long winter and very wet spring, many crops this year are struggling, but some Manitoba agricultural experts are remaining hopeful that soybeans will stay the course.

The province is not located in traditional soybean growing country, however, about 20 years ago breeders developed early maturing varieties that were more conducive to the short growing season.

Manitoba now has about one million acres dedicated to soybeans.

Given the crop's adaptable nature and the high demand for it, farmers are doing their best to ensure a successful harvest.

"What we saw farmers do this year was try their hardest and pick the best fields they had to sow their soybeans by the required date," said Daryl Domitruk, the executive director of Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers.

He said as a result, there are fewer acres sown this year, but the crops are in good condition. Those crops, however, were sown on the late side, he said.

"So now we are watching to see how they develop with the hopes that they will develop rapidly throughout the summer and be in a harvestable situation before the first fall frost."

Domitruk said farmers are currently in the stage of the growing season where they are closely monitoring their crops for pests and fungal diseases.