Australia Ups Pulse Forecast
SYDNEY - Dec 5/16 - SNS -- This year's pulse harvest in Australia is significantly higher than originally thought, with the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) boosting forecast production of all pulses from 3.25 to 3.74 million metric tons (MT).
This is up sharply from the 2.51 million MT grown last year and the recent five-year average of 2.43 million.
Among pulses, chickpeas recorded the biggest overall increase, jumping from last year's 1.013 million MT harvest to an estimated 1.227 million MT this year. While setting a record, ABARES numbers are below some industry ideas that production might tip the scales at 1.4 million MT.
Commenting on the results, ABARES said chickpeas benefitted from "an estimated increase in planted area and a forecast rise in the average yield. Producers increased planted area in response to favorable prices earlier in the year. Crop losses resulted from severe spring storms in key growing regions, but this is expected to be more than offset by high yields in unaffected regions."
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