Strong Movement Supports Peas

VANCOUVER - Sep 15/06 - SNS -- Human consumption markets for field peas continue to firm in the face of strong export movement of peas from North America and rising worries about the status of crops in Australia.

The country is now officially in the throes of an El Nino weather event that will last into 2007. This normally brings dry weather to Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, prompting one Australian pulse trader to predict the country will have 35% to 40% less of all crops to market in 2007 than was the case this year.

For its part, Pulse Australia is looking for field pea production to drop from 478,000 metric tons (MT) last year to 360,100 MT, which is above the previous Australian government forecast of a 328,000 MT harvest. The Australian government issues its forecast on September 19.

The depth of demand for Canadian field peas is underscored by the possibility export clearances during the August and September will exceed last year's record.

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