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Specialty Crop News for Feb, 1996

• Forage Seed Outlook Improves on Strong Sales, Poor Yields
  EDMONTON -- Feb 1/96 -- The special crops survey carried out during November and December in Alberta shows forage seed growers in the province experienced major yield reductions last year, according to Alberta Agriculture.

• Forage Seed Outlook Improves on Strong Sales, Poor Yields
  EDMONTON -- Feb 1/96 -- Saskatchewan produces the lion's share of all specialty crops grown in Canada and the attitudes of growers there provide important clues to prices trends for the coming season, asserts Alberta Agriculture.

• Government More Optimistic Than Trade on Lentil S&D
  EDMONTON -- Feb 1/96 -- Saskatchewan produces the lion's share of all specialty crops grown in Canada and the attitudes of growers there provide important clues to prices trends for the coming season, asserts Alberta Agriculture.

• Canadian Canaryseed Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canadian Lentil Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canadian Field Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canadian Mustard Seed Supply-Demand Estimates

• Argentina Black Bean Seedings May Rise Not Fall
  VANCOUVER-- Feb 2/96 -- STAT -- International dry edible bean markets posted a mixed performance last week. Uncertainty over the final area which will be sown to beans in Argentina made it harder for markets to find direction.

• Canaryseed Market Inches Up as Demand Out-inches Supply
  VANCOUVER-- Feb 2/96 -- STAT -- Canadian canaryseed markets inched upward last week, despite slow trading conditions. Grower selling was reported during the week.

• Lentil Supplies Tighten in Canada, But Price Steady
  VANCOUVER-- Feb 2/96 -- STAT -- Light international demand for lentils is preventing tightening supplies in Canada from having much impact on world price levels.

• Spot Chick Pea Markets Maintain Downward Trend
  VANCOUVER-- Feb 2/96 -- STAT -- Freezing temperatures in western Canada appeared to reflect the depth of new demand in international field pea markets last week.

• Europe's 1996 Pea Imports and Seedings May Decline
  PARIS -- Feb 2/96 -- STAT -- Last year's dramatic 796,000 MT plunge in western European field pea production has failed to generate the kind of demand many exporters expected, with imports now estimated to slip from 1.23 million MT during the 1994-95marketing year to under 1.15 million MT this season.

• European Field Pea Production Summary and 1996 Forecast

• Grower Market For Field Peas Pulls in Horns in Canada
  EDMONTON -- Feb 2/96 -- The feed pea market continued to pull in its horns over the past week, note Alberta Agriculture market economists. In Alberta, processors buyers lowered grower bids for feed peas into a CDN $5.75 to $6.10 per bushel range.

• Tunis Looks For Substantial Jump in Wheat Output
  TUNISIA -- Feb 6/96 -- Growers in Tunis increased areas sown to wheat and barley 33% to 1.782 million hectares or 4.4 million acres, according to the U.S. agricultural attache here.

• U.S. Domestic Pulse Sales Inch Forward
  MOSCOW, ID -- Sales of U.S. origin peas and lentils to domestic customers inched forward during the first third of the 1995-96 marketing year, with an estimated 22,480 MT shipped.

• USDA Buys 11,920 MT Green Peas, 6,480 MT Pinto Beans
  KANSAS CITY -- Feb 7/96 -- The USDA bought the maximum quantity of whole green peas it could under terms of the latest PL-480 food aid tender.

• Australian Chick Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• Australian Lupin Supply-Demand Estimates

• Australian Field Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• Pakistani Pulse Usage Remains Strong
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- Consumption of all types of pulses posted solid gains in Pakistan in recent years, reflecting the influence of a rising population and relatively large numbers of Afghan refugees. Apparent consumption is expected to leap from a recent low of 835,000 MT to over one million MT this season.

• Pakistan Working to Overcome Barriers to Increased Food
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- The Pakistan government is working hard to provide a framework to increase agricultural productivity and rural social and economic welfare, according to a recent repott from the U.S. agricultural attache in Islamabad.

• Nutritional Status in Pakistan Far Below Normal
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- The nutritional status of the Pakistani population is characterized as far below acceptable international standards. This is because of extremely low incomes, dietary habits that are very difficult to change, a literacy rate of about 37%, and a widespread lack of consciousness of a properly balanced diet and its impact on one's health.

• Pakistan Pulse Supply-Demand Outlook

• Pea and Lentil Seedings To Ease in United States
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- Pea and lentil seedings in the U.S. Pacific Northwest are expected to drop sharply this spring in the face of stiff competition from barley and other grains both in terms of price and movement.

• Dry Bean Markets Inch Forward in Light Trade
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- Dry edible bean markets were sideways to slightly firmer last week, with the U.S. dry edible bean price index gaining one point to end trading at 703 points.

• Brazilian Canaryseed Demand Indicates Argentine Shortfall
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- Birdseed markets were unchanged to slightly lower in light inter-dealer trading conditions. Processors reported steady sales to consumers in Mexico, Venezuela and Brazil during the week.

• Offgrade Lentil Markets Strengthen in Canada
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- Offgrade lentil markets in Canada posted solid gains last week at both the grower and dealer level.

• Plenty of Nibbles, But Few Sales to Support Peas
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 9/96 -- STAT -- International field pea markets were generally easier last week in relatively light buying by end users and limited speculative trading interest.

• Ozone Depleting Fumigant Seldom Used in Saskatchewan
  REGINA -- Feb 12/96 -- Last January, the federal Minister of the Environment announced Canadian will phase out the use of the agricultural fumigant methyl bromide by 2001, with exemptions for quarantine and pre-shipment applications.

• Grower Market For Feed Peas Edges Lower in Alberta
  EDMONTON -- Feb 9/96 -- Grower bids for feed peas in Alberta continued to edge lower following the lead set by soybean meal, note Alberta Agriculture economists, writing in the department's weekly market bulletin.

• Mexican Import Quota Valid Thourgh Year End
  MEXICO CITY -- Repeated requests from both the trade and United States Embassy in Mexico made their mark on the Mexican government and it agreed to extend the delivery period for its NAFTA tariff rate quota (TRQ) for U.S. dry edible beans through December 31 starting with the 1996 quota.

• Ukraine Harvests More Millet, Less Buckwheat
  KIEV -- Feb 12/96 -- Preliminary harvest data for last year show the Ukraine produced 267,000 MT of millet and 340,000 MT of buckwheat.

• Ukraine Harvests More Millet, Less Buckwheat
  KIEV -- Feb 12/96 -- Preliminary harvest data for last year show the Ukraine produced 267,000 MT of millet and 340,000 MT of buckwheat.

• Japanese Dry Bean Output Climbs Despite Fallen Acreage
  TOKYO -- Feb 12/96 -- Improved yields overcame a reduction in dry bean seedings in Japan's northern province of Hokkaido to pull production up from last year, according to the U.S. agricultural attache here.

• U.S. Green Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• U.S. Lentil Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canada -- Specialty Crop Outlook

• U.S. Bean Production Estimates By State

• U.S. Dry Edible Bean Estimates by Variety

• European Community -- Field Bean Forecasts

• European Community -- Field Pea Forecasts

• Dry Edible Beans End Trading With Bullish Sentiment
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 16/96 -- STAT -- Dry edible bean markets ended the week with traders in a relatively bullish mood in the United States.

• Europeans Try to Psych out Canadian Growers
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 16/96 -- STAT -- Birdseed markets were mostly unchanged in light trading conditions. Grower selling remained just below the needs of the market, keeping values firm in both spot and new crop shipping positions.

• Lentil Markets Focus on Offgrade Canadian Lentils
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 16/96 -- STAT -- International lentil markets experienced another quiet week, with most attention focused on offgrade lentils in Canada.

• Field Pea Markets Enter Mid-Season Shipping Lull
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 16/96 -- STAT -- Pressure seemed to build during the week in North American field pea markets, with Canadian values inching lower.

• Northern Hemisphere Specialty Crop Seedings to Fall in
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 16/96 -- STAT -- Specialty crop production in the northern hemisphere will be pulled lower in the coming season by strong interest among North American and European farmers in traditional grains and oilseeds.

• Grower Bids Remain Strong in Western Canada
  EDMONTON -- Feb 16/96 -- Lower grade lentil bids have strengthened to levels that producers should be encouraged to move product at, assert Alberta Agriculture economists writing in the department's weekly market review.

• Green Pea on Verge of New Food Aid Record
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The total quantity of peas and lentils covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 54,945 MT, compared to 33,210 MT last year.

• USDA Seeks Offers on 3,770 MT Beans
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The total quantity of dry edible beans covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 24,375 MT, compared to 17,450 MT last year.

• USDA Tenders for 17,680 MT Pulses
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The latest USDA PL-480 tenders bring actual and potential purchases of pulses for shipment as food aid during the 1995-96 shipping season to 79,320 MT.

• Pea and Lentil Tenders Total 13,910 MT -- Corrected Tables
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The total quantity of peas and lentils covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 54,945 MT, compared to 40,620 MT last year.

• USDA Seeks Offers on 3,770 MT Beans -- Corrected Tables
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The total quantity of dry edible beans covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 24,375 MT, compared to 57,420 MT last year.

• Mexican Bean Import Quota Sold for 90 Pesos MT
  MEXICO CITY - Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- Mrexican dry edible bean importers paid an average 90 peso per metric ton -- roughly U.S. $13 MT -- for the right to import up to 53,045 MT of beans from the United States duty free during the balance of the calendar year.

• UAE -- Gateway to Middle Eastern Markets
  UAE -- Feb 23/96 -- Edwin Porter, U.S. Embassy -- According to trade and government contacts, about $1.4 billion in agricultural products, or approximately 60-70 percent of total United Arab Emirate (UAE) agricultural imports, are re-exported.

• USDA in Line to Buy Record Volume of Green Peas
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- Pea and lentil processors in the U.S. pacific northwest are in line to sell record quantities of merchandise to the U.S. government for shipment as food aid this season.

• Beans Will Likely Hold Premium to Peas for Food Aid
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- Reviewing the pulse spectrum in the United States, it is hard to see what commodity can replace green peas as the favored product for shipment as food aid this season.

• Yellow Mustard Rallies to Near Record Levels
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- Canadian yellow mustard markets entered what could be record setting price territory last week. Bids for farmers dressed No 1 yellow mustard seed delivered to processing plants in western Canada soared to CDN $24 cwt.

• North American Beans Firm Despite Slow Market
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- Slow international trading conditions did not halt last week's firming trend in U.S. dry edible beans. That country's spot bean price index gained eight points to end the week at 709.

• Birdseeds Maintain Prices in Quet Trading
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- North American birdseed markets continued mostly unchanged in relatively light trading conditions last week.

• Lentil Markets Experience Lackluster Week
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- North American lentil markets were unchanged to slightly firmer last week in light trading conditions. Limited export and inter-dealer trading was reported for all types of lentils.

• Field Pea Markets Softness Led by Chick Peas
  VANCOUVER -- Feb 23/96 -- STAT -- International field pea markets were generally softer during a week which saw limited buying interest.

• Health Care Cost Savings Due to Canola Consumption
  SASKATOON -- Feb 24/96 -- The consumption of canola oil in Canada increased from 328,000 MT to 451,000 MT between 1988 and 1992. During the same period, deaths due to ischemic heart disease (IHD) were reduced from 25% of all deaths to 22%.

• Australian Crop Report Generates Few Surprises
  HORSHAM, Australia -- Feb 27/96 -- STAT -- There was no surprise in this week's confirmation pulse production nearly doubled in Australia this winter. Rains throughout much of the calendar year broke the drought which savaged yields in 1994, allowingoutput to jump 96% on a 5.6% increase in seeded area.

• Australian Seeded Area Estimates

• Australian Crop Production Estimates

• Ag Canada Sees Declining Prices for 1996-97 Canaryseed
  by Michel Vincent and Nelson Longmuir.

• The Agronomics of Canaryseed Reviewed
  by Michel Vincent and Nelson Longmuir.

• World Canaryseed Supoply Seen Rising in 1996-97
  by Michel Vincent and Nelson Longmuir.

• Canadian Domestic Market for Canaryseed Remains Limited
  by Michel Vincent and Nelson Longmuir.

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