Pea and Lentil Area Under Pressure

WASHINGTON - Apr 22/07 - SNS -- Combined field pea and lentil seedings look to be down in the United States this year due to competition from other crops, says the USDA's Gary Lucier.

Writing in the USDA's Economic Research Service, April 2007 edition of the Vegetables and Melons Outlook, Lucier said, "According to the USDA's Prospective Plantings report, area planted to dry peas, Austrian winter peas, small chickpeas, and lentils is expected to decline 9% this spring from last year's 1.42 million acres.

"Because of the widespread positive financial outlook for most crops this year (including peas and lentils), early prospective acreage estimates may be subject to more variation than normal due to factors such as weather and changes in relative price relationships among crops.

"Growers expect to plant fewer pea and lentil acres despite relatively attractive prices. March grower prices for all dry peas (food and feed) were running 67% above a year earlier, while lentil and all chickpea prices were each averaging 30% above year-earlier levels."

Lucier's comments continue:

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