Mixed Finish For Feed Peas

VANCOUVER - Oct 26/07 - SNS -- International feed pea markets posted a mixed finish on the week, while North American markets were generally stronger in sympathy with continued gains in food pea markets.

European feed pea markets were initially supported by relatively strong demand for food grade peas to cover sales to the Indian subcontinent and other destinations. But, as those sales are more fully covered, competition for available supplies of peas has lessened, allowing markets in continental Europe to slide.

Markets in the United Kingdom remain an exception. Processors and growers are seeing enough demand for food grade field beans and peas to sustain markets for both products at high levels.

Interestingly, Canada may be experiencing improved domestic demand for feed peas. While there is substantial demand for offgrade peas by some human consumption markets, a fraction of the crop can only be sold as feed.

Unfortunately, demand from Spain and other European destinations has collapsed, with the result growers and processors must rely on domestic markets to absorb this product. There is no hard data on usage levels, though the Canadian Grain Commission reports domestic disappearance from primary elevators and licensed terminals at 2,200 metric tons (MT) between October 14 and 20, lifting usage since the start of the marketing year to 13,300 MT, up from 11,600 during the same period last year.

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