Certainty Over Bigger Canadian Crop

VANCOUVER - Feb 9/07 - SNS -- Canada's chickpea industry is certain there will be a significant increase in seeded are in 2007. The only question is by how much.

For its part, Agriculture Canada speculates that seeded area in Canada will expand 14.6% to 408,000 acres this year; while harvested area is forecast at 381,000. Average yields would result in a 190,000 metric ton (MR) harvest, up from 182,000 in 2006.

Looking at the supply-demand situation for the crop, Agriculture Canada expects this season's exports to total 125,000 MT; while next season's export are forecast at 135,000 MT. This season's domestic use is forecast at 47,000 MT; while domestic use in 2007-08 is forecast at 50,000 MT.

Season ending stocks are forecast at 25,000 MT by the end of the 2006-07 marketing year. Ending stocks are expected to total 35,000 MT at the end of the 2007-08 marketing year.

Agriculture Canada estimates grower bids to range between CDN $530 and $580 MT across all classes and sizes of chickpeas, compared to between $450 and $480 MT for the coming 2007-08 marketing year.

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