Springtime still seems distant for southern Manitoba as snow remains and freezing temperatures persist.

However, provincial pulse specialist Dennis Lange says current conditions are setting up well for seeding after temperatures rise and snow melts.

In its latest flood outlook released last Wednesday, the province projected a major risk of flooding along the Red River due to heavy snow in North Dakota and Minnesota, along with a low to moderate risk for other rivers and basins.

Considering a large proportion of Manitoba’s pulse crops are grown in western Manitoba and the time of year some crops are seeded, Lange doesn’t anticipate them to be largely affected.

Lange also estimates seeded area for field peas in Manitoba to be between 160,000-170,000 acres, compared to 188,600 seeded last year, according to Statistics Canada.

He predicts 1.2 million acres for soybeans in Manitoba this year, compared to 1.135 million in 2022, while also anticipating the seeded area for Manitoba dry beans to be similar to the 125,800 acres planted in 2022.