BEPA pulse competition winners underline excellent harvest results

Winners of the BEPA (British Edible Pulse Association) annual pulse competition have been presented with their prizes for the highest performing pulse crops from the 2009 harvest at the BEPA Annual Dinner.

Pictured here receiving their awards are (left to right): Phil Rix, President of BEPA; Jed Booth of JN Booth & Sons, winner of the category for the best sample of large blue peas; Mark Button of Dengie Crops the merchants who submitted the winning entries of marrowfats peas, human consumption beans and other peas; Peter Daubney of Openfield, the merchants who submitted the winning entry of large blue peas.

Mr Rix explained that BEPA holds the competition each year to encourage pulse growing and to underline the returns that good pulse growers can achieve: "This year there were 76 entries from our merchant members, and the excellent harvest results are reflected in the quality of the winning entries as well as the yields and returns the growers achieved.