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Specialty Crop News for October, 1997

• Fenugreek is Viable Alfalfa Alternative
  EDMONTON -- Oct 1/97 -- New forages, intercropping and processing by-products represent good feed alternatives for cattle producers, according to Alberta Agriculture.

• Alberta's Peas in Bin -- Job Half Done
  EDMONTON -- Oct 1/97 -- The relatively dry conditions experienced early in the harvesting season in most of the province has helped pea growers harvest crops of moderate to high quality.

• Turkey Imposes Viurtual Ban on Sunflower Imports
  ANKARA -- Oct 3/97 -- The rainiest summer in the last 42 years has resulted in a significant increase in the estimate for Turkey's sunflower seed crop to an estimated 700,000 MT.

• Hong Kong Should Maintain Port Status Under China
  SHANGHAI -- Oct 3/97 -- Frantic development in Shanghai is generating questions among many people in the international business community as to whether China will allow Shanghai to usurp Hong Kong's role as a major transportation center.

• Bean Markets Continue Upward Peek
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/97 -- STAT -- North American dry edible bean markets continued lifting off their lows established in September as evidenced by this weeks seven point advance in the value of the U.S. spot market price index to 610.

• Growers Keep Birdseed Ingredients Mostly Steady
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/97 -- STAT -- North American birdseed ingredient markets were mostly steady in relative light trading conditions.

• Laird Lentils Flirt with New Record Low Price
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/97 -- STAT -- North American lentil markets ended weekly trading mostly lower as supplies available to markets remained well ahead of the needs of consumers.

• Field Pea Marklets Languish Under Light Demand
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/97 -- STAT -- International field pea markets were mostly lower in a relatively inactive week.

• Mexican Crop Estimates Remain Uncertain
  MEXICO CITY -- Oct 3/97 -- Mexican crop production levels remain uncertain, with government officials believing recent reductions in yield forecasts will be reversed if normal rainfall is received during the coming weeks.

• Turfgrass Markets Strengthen
  EDMONTON -- Oct 6/97 -- Forage seed markets remained relatively strong last week as harvest yields are not pressuring markets, which are looking for relatively good demand in the coming season, according to the latest market review by Alberta Agriculture.

• Australian Field Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• Australian Chick Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• Australian Lupin Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canada -- 1997 Crop Production Estimates

• Canada -- 1997 Specialty Crop Production Estimates

• Canada's Pea Crop Reaches Record 1.71 Million MT
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 8/97 -- STAT -- Pulse crop production in western Canada is coming in bigger than first expected. But the latest numbers from Statistics Canada are closer to the expectations of processors and exporters than earlier provincial estimates.

• Argentine Dry Edible Bean Crop Pegged at 281,000 MT
  BUENOS AIRES -- Oct 8/97 -- This year's offcial estimate of dry edible bean production in Argentine ended up closer to industry expectations, with government forecasters pegging output of all types at 281,000 MT.

• USDA Confirms Pea and Bean Food Aid Purchases
  KANSAS CITY -- Oct 8/97 -- The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation office here confirmed it purchased the full quantity of pinto beans and green peas requested on the latest PL-480 food aid tender.

• Venezuelan Import Outlook Remains Cloudy
  CARACAS -- Oct 10/97 -- Indications Argentine dry edible bean exporters are willing to concede the Venezuelan market to shippers in Canada and the United States is generating little enthusiasm among shippers in those countries.

• Quality Premiums Pull Edible Bean Complex Higher
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 10/97 -- STAT -- Quality problems combined with a slight improvement in end-user buying to support international dry edible bean values.

• Canaryseed Strengthens as Growers Hold Product
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 10/97 -- STAT -- Canadian canaryseed markets continued to strengthen in light trading conditions.

• Improved Consumer Demand Cannot Hold Lentils
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 10/97 -- STAT -- International lentil markets maintained their weak tone as Canadians headed into their annual Thanksgiving Day holiday.

• Shipping Problems Not Large Enough to Push Pea Market
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 10/97 -- STAT -- International field pea markets maintained a mostly weaker tone despite advances in some localized markets.

• Ukraine Field Pea Harvest Pegged at 1.4 Milliom MT
  KIEV -- Oct 16/97 -- Field pea production posted a solid increase in the Ukraine this year, jumping from one million MT in 1996 to an estimated 1.4 million MT.

• El Salvador Import Needs Changing
  SAN SALVADORE -- Oct 16/97 -- Bulk specialty crop imports are unlikely to grow in El Salvador in the coming season, though a growing market in consumer goods suggests opportunities exist for further processed products.

• U.S. Bean Production Estimates By State

• U.S. Dry Edible Bean Estimates by Variety

• Near Completion of U.S. Harvest Eases Price Pressure
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 17/97 -- STAT -- Excellent harvest progress crop was recorded during the past week in most locations in the United States, allowing values for some varieties to ease in the face of increased spot market supplies.

• Birdseed Processors See Underlying Strength
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 17/97 -- STAT -- North American birdseed ingredient markets posted a mixed performance in relatively light trading conditions.

• Laird Lentils Post Record Low Track Price
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 17/97 -- STAT -- Canadian lentil markets ended the week by posting a new record low value for No 1 Laird lentils on inter-dealer markets of U.S. $14.50 cwt.

• Field Pea Markets Mixed in Light Trade
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 17/97 -- STAT -- North American field pea markets ended the week in mixed trading conditions.

• Morocco - Pulse Production Review

• U.S. Pulse Production Post Strong Advance
  WASHINGTON -- USDA crop forecasters remain optimistic about dry edible bean production levels in the United States, raising forecast production levels 1% from their August estimates to 1.327 million MT.

• Moroccan Pulse Production Slumps
  RABAT -- Oct 17/97 -- Poorly timed rains last winter and spring pushed average yields below levels set during the 1995-96 season for a 50,000 MT drop in the size of Morocco's pulse crop.

• Canada's Forage Seed Market Relatively Quiet
  EDMONTON -- Oct 18/97 -- With the exception of some of the dryland grasses and alfalfa, forage seed trade is relatively quiet, according to Alberta Ariculture market economists in their weekly summary.

• Columbian Dry Edible Bean Output Expansion Sought
  BOGOTA -- Oct 21/97 -- Colombia continues to encourage expansion of dry edible bean production in the country as an alternative to barley, but output continues to run short of consumption.

• Corruption Stalls Colombia's Agricultural Growth
  BOGOTA -- Oct 21/97 -- Colombia's agricultural sector continues to make the transformation from operating under a protectionist government regimen which allowed inefficient production to flourish to an open system which compels domestic producers to compete with foreign suppliers.

• USDA Tenders for Minor Quantities Pulses
  KANSAS CITY -- Oct 21/97 -- The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation office here invited offers for 3,860 MT pulses for shipment as food aid under invitation number 117.

• USDA Seeks Offers on 730 MT Beans
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The total quantity of dry edible beans covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 4,540 MT, compared to 14,470 MT last year.

• Pea and Lentil Tenders Total 3,130 MT
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The quantity of peas and lentils covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 15,860 MT, compared to 23,920 MT last year.

• USDA Tenders for 3,860 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 1997-98 shipping season to 20,400 MT.

• U.S. Green Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• U.S. Lentil Supply-Demand Estimates

• Latin America's Internal Bean Markets Strengthen
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 22/97 -- Worries about the size of this year's Mexican dry edible bean harvest is pulling internal prices higher in that country, at a time when producers in Chile and Brazil grow anxious about their crops.

• Dry Edible Beans Unchanged in Seasonal Trade
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 24/97 -- STAT -- International dry edible bean markets were mostly unchanged in seasonal trading conditions.

• Canaryseed Strength Foreseen For Winter Period
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 24/97 -- STAT -- Canadian canaryseed markets continued to strengthen at both the grower and inter-dealer level in both spot and deferred shipping positions.

• Laird Lentil Market Rebounds from Historic Lows
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 24/97 -- STAT -- Canadian lentil markets bounced off last weeks record setting lows, suggesting markets found a level under which the commodity is too cheap.

• Renewed Dryness Supports Australian Field Peas
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 24/97 -- STAT -- International field pea markets ended the week mixed.

• Snow Halts Forage Seed Harvest in Alberta
  EDMONTON -- Oct 25/97 -- General snowfall halted the remainder of the forage seed harvest in the Peace River Region last week adding to volatility in the clover markets.

• United States Domestec Pea and Lentil Sales

• Canadian Field Pea Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canadian Canaryseed Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canadian Lentil Supply-Demand Estimates

• Canadian Mustard Seed Supply-Demand Estimates

• Large Supplies Depress Bean Price Outlook
  WINNIPEG -- Oct 30/97 -- Large North American bean supplies are expected to keep prices low during 1997-98, is the primary conclusion of the following article by Karen Gray, Special Crops Analyst, Market Analysis Division, Agriculture Canada.

• Agriculture Canada Optimistic About Canaryseed Prices
  WINNIPEG -- Oct 27/97 -- Declining supplies in Canada could allow Canadian canaryseed prices to rise over the balanace of the season, though this year's highs will be below the previous years believes Karan Gray, Special This article is by Karen Gray, Special Crops Analyst, Market Analysis Division, Agriculture Canada.

• Europe -- Field Pea Production Estimates

• Dry Edible Bean Markets Continue Firming
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 31/97 -- STAT -- International dry edible bean markets ended weekly trading on a slightly firming note.

• Birdseed Ingredients Ease to Bottom of Trading Range
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 31/97 -- STAT -- North American birdseed ingredient markets moved toward the lower end of their recent trading ranges in week which featured limited fresh demand.

• North American Lentils Ease
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 31/97 -- STAT -- North American lentil markets ended the week slightly lower to sideways in light trading conditions.

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