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Specialty Crop News for Nov, 1996

• Forage Seed Harvest Won't be Completed in Alberta
  EDMONTON -- Nov 1/96 -- Alberta's forage seed harvest will not be completed this year as the arrival of winter in the Peace River region has caught 60% of the crop in theifled, according to Alberta Agriculture.

• Specialty Crop Production Summary in Selected Countries

• Easing Demand Pushes Dry Beans Into Bearish Mood
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 1/96 -- STAT -- Mexico's withdrawal from North American dry edible bean markets as import licenses expired October 31 left several processors and exporters in the United States actively seeking demand.

• European Community -- Field Pea Production Estimates

• Canaryseed Market Performs YoYo Tricks
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 1/96 -- STAT -- Canadian canaryseed recorded a highly volatile performance last week.

• Algerian Tender Supports No 2 Grade Laird Lentils
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 1/96 -- STAT -- International lentil markets were mostly easier last week against soft consumer demand and the virtual completion of North American harvest activity.

• European Community -- Field Bean Production Estimates

• Strong Canadian Export Movement Main Feature in Peas
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 1/96 -- STAT -- Field pea markets were mostly sideways in a week dominated by good export movement from Canada.

• Plant Breeding Needs to Reflect Market's Needs, Not Just
  VANCOUVER -- NOV 1/96 -- STAT -- Worries about how to maintain competitive edges were behind a visit to importers in the Indian subcontinent by a grower group from Australia's southern Mallee and northern Wimmera region.

• Special Crops Must Adapt to New Consumerism
  VANCOUVER -- NOV 1/96 -- STAT -- An emerging problem facing pulses among the next generation of consumers in developed nations was illustrated by one of the more popular attractions at the recent food show and exhibition in Paris, France. The productis a cold cup of coffee. After buying it, you pinch the bottom of the cup and a chemical reaction heats the brew inside.

• USDA Buys 790 MT Pulses for Food Aid
  KANSAS CITY -- Nov 6/96 -- The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation offiKA here announced the following purchases of pulses for export distribution under Invitation No. 116, dated October 22, 1996, for shipment during the periods December 6 - 20 and December 21, 1996 - January 5, 1997.

• Forage Market Blooms, Pulses Wither
  EDMONTON -- Nov 8/96 -- Forage seed markets exploded upward last week as it became apparent a good portion of the crop would not be harvested in Alberta this year, according to the latest market update from the provincial agriculture department.

• Pakistan -- Pulse Supply-Demand Projections

• India -- Pulse Supply-Demand Projections

• Logistical Strains Partly Support Beans
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 8/96 -- STAT -- North American dry edible bean markets appeared to end their recent downward slide last week. The spot price index for beans traded in the United States was just about unchanged at 823 points.

• Pakistan Trade Well Developed, but Farming Lags
  ISLAMABAD -- Nov 8/96 -- Pakistan places no restrictions on the volume of agricultural imports and has an highly developed marketing infratrustcure, but there are equally serious problems preventing the country from growing as much as food as it could.

• Pakistan To Remain an Key Pulse Buyer in 1996-97
  ISLAMABAD -- Nov 8/96 -- It is hard to see the day when Pakistan will not be a net importer of pulses nor a time when demand will not grow with the country's rising population. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee the country's needs will always be filled.

• Canaryseed Pummelled by Selling Though Nov 97
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 8/96 -- STAT -- Canadian canaryseed markets settled sharply lower across all shipping positions last week, with trend setting sales reported for both 1996 and 1997 crop merchandise.

• Shipping Problems Result in Contract Cancellations
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 8/96 -- STAT -- International lentil markets were mixed in relatively steady international demand. Logistical problems are created severe headaches for some Canadian exporters.

• Field Pea Markets Ease as Exporters Rake Breather
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 8/96 -- STAT -- International field pea markets were generally easier last week, reflecting a slight decrease in export shipping activity.

• Hazelnut Production Eases in United States
  WASHINGTON -- Nov 12/96 -- Hazelnut production is down sharply this year at just 20,000 tons on an inshell basis, according to the latest crop production statistics from the USDA.

• Australian Lupin Supply-Demand Estimates

• Australian Field Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• Australian Chick Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• New Equipment Reduces Bean Harvest Losses
  SASKATOON -- Nov 14/96 -- Research does pay off: sometimes immediately and in actual dollars and cents; sometimes over the long-term in production benefits to producers and, ultimately to the residents of Saskatchewan. One of the projects partially supported by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food's Agriculture Development Fund recently illustrated these returns.

• Mexican Bean Imports Reach 70,634 MT in August
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 14/96 -- Shipments of dry edible beans from the United States to Mexico ended the 1995-96 marketing year at 70,634 MT, compared to just 28,037 MT the previous season.

• U.S. Green Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• U.S. Lentil Supply-Demand Estimates

• Forage Markets May be Topping Out
  EDMONTON -- Nov 14/96 -- Forage seed markets may have found their season highs as demonstrated by a week of steady prices, according to the latest commodity market anaylsis by Alberta Agriculture.

• Saskatchewan -- Specialty Crop Quality

• Canada -- Specialty Crop Production Estimates

• Agressive Canadians Take Attention From Troubled
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 15/96 -- STAT -- An aggressive sales posture among many Canadian processors and exporters dominates thinking in international specialty crop markets, keeping many participants in a bearish mood despite confirmation of widespread frost damage to Australian pulse crops.

• Dominican Republic Dean Needs May Ease in 1997
  SANTO DOMINGO -- Nov 15/96 -- Dry edible bean production in the Dominican Republic is expected to improve in the coming year, but the gain in crop production will not stop the country from importing beans from Chile and the United States. For years, imports have been required to meet market shortages when stocks were depleted and the new crop was not ready to harvest.

• Edible Beans Drift Without Major Consumer Activity
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 15/96 -- STAT -- North American dry edible bean markets maintained their sideways to slightly easier motion in a generally featureless week.

• Birdseed Market Supported by Tight Spot Stocks
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 15/96 -- STAT -- Canadian canaryseed markets continued to sour the lives of some traders, with markets bouncing back from the previous week's losses. Price activity left some feeling whip-sawed.

• Laird Lentils Lead Market Down, Though Demand Looks Good
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 15/96 -- STAT -- International lentil markets closed out the week mixed, with green lentils generally weaker and red lentils firmer on steady demand.

• Field Pea Complex Flounders Despite Demand and Frost
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 15/96 -- STAT -- Reports of significant frost damage for field pea and chick pea crops in Victoria and parts of South Australia failed to inspire the field pea complex.

• Field Peas Back on Food Aid Burner
  KANSAS CITY -- Nov 19/96 -- The USDA erquested offers on 5,990 MT of pulses today, including 4,920 MT of green and yellow peas for shipment between January 6 and February 5, 1997.

• Pea and Lentil Tenders Total 5,450 MT
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The quantity of peas and lentils covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 34,820 MT, compared to 17,605 MT last year.

• USDA Tenders for 5,990 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 44,380 MT.

• USDA Seeks Offers on 540 MT Beans
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The total quantity of dry edible beans covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 15,010 MT, compared to 12,695 MT last year.

• Costa Rican Farmers Seek Bean Marketing Board
  SAN JOSE -- Nov 21/96 -- Costa Rican farmers want to expand the role of marketing boards in their country in an effort to control local supply, demand and prices for dry edible beans and other commodities.

• Organic Foods Achieve Elite Status in Austria
  VIENNA -- Nov 21/96 -- Organic foods broke through to the general consumer in Austria several years ago when the two largest grocery chains, Brilla and Spar, introduced these products in their shops.

• Grower Level Specialty Crop Market Mixed
  EDMONTON -- Nov 22/96 -- Specialty crop markets posted a mixed performance during the week at the grower level, with values softening in Alberta while managing a sideways to firming performance in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

• Tips for Setting Aside Peas as Next Spring's Seed
  EDMONTON -- Nov 22/96 -- Harvest is done and the pea crop was good. If you want to keep some seed back for next year, there are a few things that can be done to guarantee a good seed pea.

• Political Attitudes to Trade Key to Expanding Demand
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 22/96 -- STAT -- Recent events in specialty crop markets and the political arena underscore the profound differences which exist between specialty crop market structures in the United States and Canada.

• Bean Markets Flounder Despite Weather Woes in Chile
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 22/96 -- STAT -- International dry edible bean markets ended trading on a mixed note. While California and Chilean origin beans were stronger on account of poor weather conditions in those production areas, most of the remaining markets were slightly easier.

• Poor Grower Participation Supports Canaryseed
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 22/96 -- STAT -- Lack of participation by Canadian growers helped pull canaryseed values higher in that country.

• Slow Demand Lets Lentil Markets Drift Lower
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 22/96 -- STAT -- International lentil markets were generally easier, attracting additional consumer buying in some parts of the world.

• Specialty Crop Market Review -- Manitoba Agriculture
  WINNIPEG -- Nov 22/96 -- Manitoba Agriculture -- North American pulse crop markets appear quite slow at present, with much of the reported activity to meet prior purchases and aid. Early US bean shipments were moving well to Mexico, with some into Canada.

• New Crop Australian Sales Help Field Pea Values
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 22/96 -- STAT -- Field pea markets ended the week with a slightly firmer tone against reports of additional buying by importers in the Indian subcontinent.

• Canada's Organic Expansion Tied to Standards Creation
  OTTAWA -- Nov 25/96 -- Expansion of Canada's organic industry will be compromised if it does not adopt national production and grading standards, believe government officials in that country.

• Alsike and Red Clover Lead Forage Markets
  EDMONTON -- Nov 28/96 -- Alsike and red clover are defying seasonal tradition by maintaining prices in relatively active trading conditions, according to the latest weekly market commentary by Alberta Agriculture.

• Pakistan -- Pulse Supply-Demand Projections

• Small Sized Chick Pea Demand Builds as Price Falters
  ISLAMABAD -- Nov 29/96 -- Pulse production and import figures were recently finalized for Pakistan for the 1995-96 season, with both numbers coming in slightly higher than expected.

• EC Pea Consumption Drops 1 Million MT
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 29/96 -- STAT -- When first announced, there were predictions the European Community's agreement to cut subsidies for grain and oilseed production would have a long term negative impact on the usage of pulses for livestock feeding purposes.

• Dry Edible Beans Weaken as Holiday Season Starts
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 29/96 -- STAT -- North American dry edible bean markets were mostly softer in an extremely quiet week. Most processors and exporters in the United States were off work Thursday and Friday as they celebrated that country's Thanksgiving Day holiday.

• Birdseed Markets Wonder About Argentina
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 29/96 -- STAT -- Birdseed markets seemed to give up on the willingness of Canadian growers to sell canaryseed last week, as interest in the size of Argentina's pending harvest rose.

• Red and Canadian Lentils Firmer
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 29/96 -- STAT -- International lentil markets were sideways to firmer in a week which saw some improvement in world trading levels.

• Food Pea Market Volumes Remain Strong in Canada
  VANCOUVER -- Nov 29/96 -- STAT -- International field pea markets recorded a mixed performance in a week which saw evidence Canadian export shipments would not begin slowing down for several weeks.

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