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January 20th 2009
2009 - THE YEAR WHEN THE UK PULSE CROP SPRINGS TO LIFE!
There is a larger-than-usual spring drilling area up for grabs this spring: a recent survey underlined the over-the-hedge feeling that the prolonged 2008 harvest and a wet autumn has led to reduced plantings and poor establishment, with only 70-80% of the planned winter wheat and oilseed rape in the ground.
With this scenario in mind, pulses are higher on the list than for many years. The reasons for this have been much-discussed. Pulses are generally a low input crop and, even if fertiliser prices have eased off, the zero N requirement is a major benefit. Also fertiliser finance is not so easily obtained from the banks. Add into the equation the residual N benefit of, conservatively, £50-£80ha for the following crop and you have a telling reason to go for a pulse crop this spring. In addition, there are the other benefits of pulses, including spreading the harvest load, improved soil structure and drainage, and boosting the yield of the following cereal by up to a tonne a hectare.
As well as the agronomic factors, there are good market-led reasons for taking a very close look at pulses this spring, for in most sectors the market is under-supplied.
First of all, there is the export market for human consumption beans headed to the Middle East where ‘ful medames’ - slowly cooked beans with garlic, olive oil, lemon and cumin, served with flat bread – is the traditional breakfast dish. There are good premiums available if the quality is there. Visual appearance is the key – samples should be pale coloured, clean, sound and free from Bruchid damage. We produce a third of the beans to supply the potential market.
Next, marrowfat peas for the grocery and canning markets. Here buyers are looking for size, colour, freedom from waste and staining. Again, an opportunity exists as we currently produce half of the demand from the canners and packers.
The micronising sector uses large blue peas almost exclusively and the UK production meets two-thirds of the tonnage the micronisers need.
Animal feed is the largest sector and is difficult to quantify precisely, but most estimates give a market of around 750,000 tonnes, and we produce about a third of that. UK producers are in competition here with imported soya meal and other protein – but if you consider the GM issue from imported and the desire of UK users to have domestic product – albeit at the right price – there is a large unfulfilled demand.
Of course, these are UK national figures and the market for your crop will also depend on factors you cannot control – for example, distance from your farm to a processing plant or an export facility. But there is an overall picture of unsatisfied demand and, hence, opportunities for growers to produce a pulse crop for a marketplace that is hungry for product.
When you look at pulses this spring, a key decision is variety choice to suit your farm situation and meet your target market – so talk to your seed specialist. After years in the doldrums, pulse breeding is now on a roll, with more resources from the major breeders, plus the introduction of advanced genetic techniques taken from cereal breeders. New, higher yielding and enhanced quality varieties are now available - with more in the pipeline for the future.
