Smaller World Chickpea Harvest Likely

WINNIPEG - Sep 1/06 - SNS -- Commercial chickpea production in Canada is starting to recover from the three years of falling output which followed the record 450,000 metric ton (MT) harvest of 2001, according to Agriculture Canada.

But world production, says Stan Skrypetz, Pulse and Special Crops Analyst, Agriculture Canada's Market Analysis Division in Winnipeg, has also been volatile during the past decade, "ranging from a low of 6.76 million MT in 2000-2001 to a high of 9.56 million MT in 1998-1999. There has not been a downward or an upward trend."

The two commercial types of chickpeas produced are desi and kabuli. Countries in the Indian sub-continent and Australia produced mainly the desi type, Canada produces both the kabuli and desi types, and the remaining countries produced mainly the kabuli type. On average, world production consisted of about 75% desi type and 25% kabuli type. Production of the kabuli type is more dispersed and therefore less variable than for the desi type.

Skrypetz' comments about chickpea continue:

World exports during the past 10 years were variable, but with no downward or upward trend. Exports ranged from a low of 514,000 MT in calendar year 1999 to a high of 998,000 MT in 2001, depending mainly on domestic production volumes in India and other countries which both produce and import chickpeas.

In 2004, the latest year for which complete world trade statistics are available, exports were 682,000 MT. During the past 10 years, India was the largest importer of chickpeas, but imports were extremely variable, depending on the volume of production in India and price. India and surrounding countries import mainly the desi type, while countries in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa import mainly the kabuli type.

Chickpea production at the commercial level in Canada started in 1995-1996 at about 1,000 MT, but increased rapidly during the next six years to 455,000 MT in 2001-2002. Production fell sharply in 2002-2003 due to lower seeded area and wet harvest conditions.

Seeded area and production fell further in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. The decreases in seeded area were due to the difficulty and high cost of controlling ascochyta blight, yield and quality losses during wet harvests, and price decreases. Production recovered in 2005-2006 as higher prices for the kabuli type encouraged additional seeding.

Saskatchewan accounted for at least 80% of Canadian production and Alberta for the balance. Chickpeas have contributed to the diversification of crop production in these provinces and are valuable in crop rotations which improve soil tilth and fertility. The production of chickpeas has also contributed to the expansion of the pulse crops handling, marketing and processing industry, which increased employment opportunities in rural areas.

Kabuli chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, have a larger, cream-colored seed with a thin seed coat. The desi type has a smaller, darker colored seed with a thick seed coat. Included in kabuli chickpea production are the large kabuli type with the seed size mostly 8-9 millimeters (mm) and a seed weight of about 410-490 grams/1000 seed, and the small kabuli type, which have a more uniform seed size of about 7 mm and a seed weight of about 265 grams/1000 seed. Yields of the desi and small kabuli types are about 20% higher than of the large kabuli type.

There are two serious limitations for chickpea production in Canada, the long growing season requirement for current varieties and the high risk of the extremely aggressive disease, ascochyta blight. Chickpeas have an indeterminate growth habit and will continue to flower while growing conditions remain favorable for vegetative growth.

Thus, moisture or nitrogen stress is required to encourage seed set and hasten maturity. The ideal growing conditions are moderate precipitation and normal to above normal temperatures from seeding to late July and then drought for the maturing and harvest periods. Because of the growth habit, kabuli chickpeas are best adapted to the Brown soil zone and desi chickpeas to the Dark Brown and Brown soil zones. Both soil zones are located in south-western Saskatchewan and south-eastern Alberta.

Chickpeas are relatively drought tolerant due to the long tap root. They are not well adapted to high moisture areas, saline soils, soils which are slow to warm in the spring and wet or waterlogged soils. Chickpea production works well in rotation with cereal grains such as spring or durum wheat.

Nitrogen fertilizer is usually not required since chickpeas possess the ability to fix nitrogen from the air in nodules on the roots where it is used for plant growth. To maximize the nitrogen fixation ability, chickpea seed should be inoculated with the chickpea strain of nitrogen-fixing inoculants.

The stage of crop development should be closely monitored nearing harvest, as weathered seed and dark seed discolorations (green, brown, black) makes the seed less desirable to processors and consumers. Kabuli chickpea color is especially important because buyers prefer a yellowish-cream color.

Early fall frost can result in green discolorations of immature kabuli chickpea seed, which will reduce the value of the crop. Other important factors affecting visual quality are levels of admixture, seed size and seed uniformity. The use of conveyors instead of augers when handling chickpeas will reduce mechanical damage. The Canadian chickpea harvest generally occurs during the period from late-August to early October.

Canadian chickpea exports had been increasing, in line with the increase in production, and Canada became the world’s third largest exporter in 2002. For the next three years, exports decreased as production fell, and Canada became the fourth or fifth largest exporter in the world, but with the recovery in production, Canada could once again become the third largest exporter.

The main markets by region, with the leading countries in brackets, are: Asia (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), Europe (Spain, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom and Belgium), the Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Egypt), Africa (Algeria), South America (Colombia and Brazil), Central America and the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago), and the United States. Exports of the desi type are mainly to Asia, while exports of the kabuli type are to all regions of the world.

Canadian prices are largely determined in the international market because Canada exports most of its production. Although prices of the large kabuli type are higher than for the desi type, they are also more volatile. Prices of the large kabuli type increase as the size of the seed increases from 7 mm, to 8 mm, to 9 mm and to 10 mm.

The producer receives a weighted average price for kabuli chickpeas based on the percentage of various sized seed. The price of the small kabuli type is generally higher than for the desi type, but lower than the weighted average large kabuli type price. Since there is no futures market for chickpeas, prices are negotiated directly between producers and dealers based on supply and demand factors for each type of chickpea.

More than 90% of chickpeas are consumed in the countries where they are produced. Chickpeas are used almost exclusively for human consumption. The desi type seed must be dehulled and is used whole or split or milled.

In the Indian sub-continent, the desi chickpeas are used whole, dehulled and split to produce dhal, or ground into fine flour called besan. Besan is used in many ways for cooking, including mixed with wheat flour to make roti or chapatti, and for making sweets and snacks.

Kabuli chickpeas are substituted for desi chickpeas if the price is competitive. In addition, yellow peas are used as a substitute for chickpeas for the lowest income consumers if the price of yellow peas is lower. In the Middle East, consumption is based on a popular dish known as “hummus” which is produced from mashed chickpeas mixed with oil and spices.

The large kabuli type is used mainly in salad bars and vegetable mixes. Chickpeas are also used as a vegetable and in preparing a wide variety of snack foods, soups, sweets, and condiments. Smaller size kabuli chickpeas are also milled for flour.

Pulses, including chickpeas are increasingly being used in health-conscious diets to promote general well-being and reduce the risk of illness. They are low in fat, low in sodium, cholesterol free, high in protein, and are an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fibre, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins, potassium and phosphorus.

Since chickpeas are low in fat, low in sodium and are cholesterol free, they are an excellent heart healthy food that may be beneficial to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Chickpeas are an inexpensive, high quality source of protein. Studies have shown that whole pulses (including chickpeas) have demonstrated cholesterol and lipid lowering effects in humans.

Studies have reported the beneficial effects of soluble dietary fibre on cardiovascular disease in humans, especially in lowering both total serum and LDL-cholesterol levels. In addition, clinical research has shown soluble fibre to be beneficial in the management of type-2 diabetes. Insoluble dietary fibre consumption can be beneficial to a healthy colon and has been associated with reducing the risk of colon cancer. Diets high in fibre have demonstrated beneficial effects on weight loss because they deliver more bulk and less energy.

Chickpeas are an excellent source of the B vitamin folate which is an essential nutrient. In addition, folate consumption during pregnancy has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Flour made from chickpeas is gluten free and is a very nutritious option for people with celiac disease.