Pulses market update

Summary

Despite the rainfall in some areas in the north and west of Britain, it is pleasing to see that the new bean varieties are delivering on their promise of improved standing ability, yield and quality.

Peas have also improved, but inevitably gone flat in the heavier rain. Yields and quality are very good where this was avoided.

With beans still being cut, the UK crop is estimated at 6-700,000 tonnes.

Drying is a major issue with considerable trade in grain at 19-25% as space on farm is taken up.

Feed Beans

Buyers are difficult to find, and prices have been following wheat rapidly downwards in recent weeks, but the premium over wheat is still high. Black Sea crop is being traded into Italy at the moment.

Export Beans

Spring varieties and Wizard early samples showing excellent quality despite the delays. Yields too are very good. Egyptian buyers are waiting after initial EU (French mainly) deliveries, and trading is not being helped by the falling price.

The challenge will be to get enough good 15% moisture samples over the next 6 weeks before the Australian crop is available.

HC beans remain about £10/tonne over feed.

Marrowfats

Prices remain very strong at £300-370 on farm. Yields and quality in much of the south and east have been excellent, but there is still a UK shortage. Japanese buyers have been scarce at these prices and are sourcing from Eastern Europe. Demand from the Far East is strong. Important that growers seize the opportunity to sell at these prices before others take the market.

Blue Peas

Prices are holding up as the UK supply remains limited after the difficult harvest. Yields have been very good where timely harvest was possible. Quality is variable with bleaching a problem with many samples, and latterly wrinkling and soil contamination are evident. Canadian blues are being imported to fill the gap. Samples being sent in for checking are only a tenth of normal numbers.