MarketsFarm — Turkey is expecting to see an increase in lentil production in 2020, according to a processor in the country. White bean production is also expected to rise, although chickpea production could be down slightly on the year. Fethi Sonmez, CEO of Turkey-based Armada Foods, expects to see red lentil production in the country […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Turkey may see larger red lentil crop
Kraft Heinz cuts output at three plants, adds mac and cheese shifts
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Kraft Heinz said Friday it has moved to significantly reduce production at three plants providing restaurant supplies amid the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, but its CEO noted the company has added shifts at others to meet demand for packaged foods such as macaroni and cheese. Speaking in a video presentation hosted […] Read more
Fact sheets of pulse varieties available
Reading Time: < 1 minute Pulse varietal fact sheets are now available. “Important agronomic characteristics and disease-resistance information are provided for varieties of field pea, lentil, fababean, dry bean and soybean,” said Alex Fedko, crop research technologist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. In 2019, 16 seed companies submitted entries for testing at up to 20 locations across Alberta and northern […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: U.S. bean acres to increase, other pulses down
MarketsFarm — Farmers in the U.S. intend to plant more edible bean acres in 2020, but will seed less area to peas, lentils and chickpeas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s prospective plantings report. Edible bean area in the country is forecast at 1.372 million acres, which would be up roughly seven per cent […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Increased demand seen, but problems loom
MarketsFarm — Unlike other commodities, pulses aren’t yet feeling ill effects from an economic downturn due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, according to Marcos Mosnaim of Globeways Canada in Mississauga. With consumers panic-buying, there has been increased demand for pulses, as many are non-perishable, Mosnaim said. “These products will be there for ages,” he said, […] Read more
Where are the pulses? India has own take on fast food
Alberta producer sees opportunities in the changing marketplace of India and other pulse-buying countries
Reading Time: 4 minutes Enchant seed grower Greg Stamp was expecting the unusual when he travelled to India last month. That proved to be the case, but not always in ways he expected. For example, he learned the fast-food market in India grew by 18 per cent last year. “That was a huge number. I was surprised,” said Stamp, […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Bids underpin Manitoba edible bean area
Province's soybean acres expected to fall
MarketsFarm — Solid prices should keep Manitoba farmers growing edible beans in 2020, although soybean area will likely drop, according to a provincial specialist. Disappointing harvest weather in 2019 hurt yields and cut into harvested area for edible beans in both Manitoba and across the border in the United States. As a result, prices heading […] Read more
NFU sees red flags in CUSMA bill for grain growers
Bibeau urged to 'correct mistakes' in NAFTA 2.0-enabling legislation
The National Farmers Union is warning of sweeping changes to Canadian grain regulation it sees tucked into federal legislation meant to put through the successor deal to NAFTA. Bill C-4, the implementing legislation for the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), passed second reading Feb. 6 and came back without amendment Feb. 27 from the Commons standing committee […] Read more
New insect expert introduces himself and advises on key pests for 2020
Cabbage seed pod weevils, bertha army worms and pea leaf weevils the insects to watch for in 2020
Reading Time: 3 minutes The province has gained one new entomologist but has lost its best-known bug specialist. Boyd Mori, a new assistant professor in the University of Alberta’s agriculture department, paid tribute to provincial insect management specialist Scott Meers in his presentation at FarmTech — and urged his audience to lobby the government for a replacement. “Scott Meers […] Read more
Scoular to sell edible bean business
MarketsFarm — The Scoular Company has made a deal to sell its edible beans business in Manitoba and the northern U.S. to a Michigan edible bean processing and exporting co-op. Cooperative Elevator Co., which is owned by over 1,100 U.S. farmers and operates mainly in Michigan’s “thumb” northeast of Flint, announced Friday it will buy […] Read more