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Specialty Crop News for October, 1998

• Study Shows Soy Protein Lowers Men's Cholesterol
  WASHIONGTON -- Oct 1/98 -- Soy protein can be an important ally in lowering cholesterol, according to new findings from a study conducted at the Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas.

• Colored Beans Helped by Hurricane
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/98 -- Reports of devastation to crops in several Caribbean nations as a result of Hurricane Georges added considerable support to colored bean markets in the United States.

• Chick Pea Markets Surge on Turkish Short Fall
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/98 -- Significant activity was recorded in international chick pea markets during the week as they became absolutely convinced Turkey is facing significant shortfalls of all types of pulses for its 1998-99 marketing campaign.

• Michigan Bean Stocks Down 31% from 1997
  SAGINAW -- Oct 2/98 -- Commercial elevators in Michigan held 1.23 million hundredweight (cwt) or 55,792 MT of dry beans in storage as of August 31, 1998, according to the Federal/State Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service.

• Birdseed Ingredient Markets Suffer Harvest Doldrums
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/98 -- North American birdseed ingredient markets were unchanged to weaker in relatively light trading conditions.

• Lentils Unchanged to Firmer in Relatively Light Demand
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/98 -- Few changes were noted in North American lentil markets under relatively quiet trading conditions.

• North Anmerican Field Pea Trading Interest Surges
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 3/98 -- Solid increases in trading interest was reported by Canadian field pea processors and exporters during the week.

• Grower markets Bids Remain Lackluster in Alberta
  EDMONTON -- Oct 4/98 -- Lacklustre demand continues to plague specialty crop markets in Alberta, resulting in mediocre bid levels for this time of year, suggest Alberta Agricultyure in its latest review of specialty crop markets in that province.

• Colombia Pulse Imports Ease in 1997-98
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 5/98 -- North American pulse exports to Colombia were down slightly during the 1997-98 season, according to official trade numbers from Canada and the United States.

• Indian Pulse Markets Strengthen
  DELHI -- Oct 6/98 -- Crop damage and harvest delays from recent rainfall in India's production areas pushed asking prices for most pulses higher on local markets.

• U.S. Grain Inspection Fee Increase Proposed
  WASINGTON -- Oct 6/98 -- The USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is proposing to increase by approximately 3.6% its fees for official inspection and weighing services performed in the United States under the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA), as amended.

• Canada -- Crop Production Summary and 1999 Forecast

• Canada -- All Crop Production Summary

• International Field Pea Production Summary

• Canadian Field Pea Crop Hits 2.29 Million MT
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 8/98 -- Canada's latest official crop production estimates make it hard for that country's field pea traders to talk away the magnitude of an obvious record now that the country's top statisticians confirmed yields ended up closer totheir recent averages than most people hoped.

• Mustard Seed Stats Missing for Over Sold Market
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 8/98 -- Canada's latest official crop production estimates did not cover mustard, canaryseed and other specialty grains even though the harvest was completed two weeks sooner than average and firmer yield estimates should have been available from growers.

• U.S. Bean Production Estimates By State

• U.S. Dry Edible Bean Estimates by Variety

• Higher Sunseed Yields Push Crop up to 2.1 Million MT
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 9/98 -- The first official sunflower production forecast for 1998 in the United States is 2.1 million MT of oil-type and confectionary sunflower production, according to the latest USDA crop report.

• Second Largest Bean Harvest of Decade Underway in U.S.
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 9/98 -- Dry edible bean production in the United States is expected to climb just over 1.4 million MT for 1998, according to the latest USDA crop report.

• USDA and Trade Council Disagree on Pea and Lentil Area
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 9/98 -- The first official indication of U.S. field pea and lentil production came in the latest USDA crop report, which found production of lentils is down over last year while field pea output is up.

• Hazelnut, Pecan Harvest Mostly Unchanged
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 9/98 -- The USDA's expects hazelnut production in Oregon and Washington to remain unchanged from its last crop report at 16,500 tons.

• Bulls Regain Upper Hand in Colored Bean Markets
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 9/98 -- International dry edible bean markets recorded a strong performance on the week in the face of increased consumer buying interest.

• Birdseed Ingredient Markets Maintain Quiet Poise
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 9/98 -- Few changes were reported in international birdseed ingredient markets during the week.

• Rising Demand Supports North American Lentils
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 9/98 -- Improving international demand combined with relatively slow grower selling to support North American lentil values.

• Field Pea Markets Firm on Rising Demand
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 9/98 -- Firmness entered North American field pea markets during the week as markets responded to positive disappearance levels into international food aid programs and commercial buying interest.

• USDA Buys 13,250 MT Pulses for Food Aid
  KANSAS CITY -- Oct 9/98 -- The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation confimred the purchase of 13,250 MT of pulses in two separate tender results as the week drew to a close.

• Alberta Harvests Record honey crop
  EDMONTON -- Oct 14/98 -- Despite problems in a few areas, a mild winter, a good spring, timely rains and good beekeeping all contributed to provide Alberta's beekeepers with a record honey crop.

• More Research Links Pulse Use with Antioxident Power
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 15/98 -- Additional research by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service and a private company in California added to the weight of evidence linking increased consumption of pulses in reducing oxidation of the body's cells.

• Specialty Sorghums Could be Used as People Food
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 15/98 -- Plant breeders have developed 30 new lines of sorghum, some containing special characteristics which could make them a powerful addition to specialty food markets.

• Costa Rica Imports Record Volume of Beans
  SAN JOSE -- Oct 15/98 -- Unusual weather patterns caused by the El Nino event earlier in the year is forcing Costa Rica to import increased volumes of dry edible beans this season.

• Syria Sees Expanded Nut Production in 1998
  DAMASCUS -- Oct 16/98 -- Slight increase in nut production are expected in Syria this year, with pistachio's accounting for most of the increase as output climbs from 22,000 to 30,000 tons.

• Syria Maintains 200,000 MT Annual Pulse Harvest
  DAMASCUS -- Oct 16/98 -- Syrian pulse production is holding steady at around 200,000 MT per year despite government efforts to get the population to increase the amount of meat consumed.

• Pakistani Pulse Import Statistics Questioned
  KARACHI  Oct 16/98  Tracking international trade flows is sometimes more an art than a science despite widespread use of computer technology, strict import and export reporting requirements in most countries, and increased exchange of trade data among countries.

• Rising Consumer Demand Supports Bean Markets
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 16/98 -- Demand, both real and expected, allowed international dry edible bean markets to maintain recent firmness.

• Birdseed Ingredient Markets in Balance
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 16/98 -- Birdseed ingredients provided one of the few dull spots in international specialty crop markets last week.

• Heavy Shipping Commitments Pull Lentils Upward
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 16/98 -- Heavy export shipping commitments, fueled by slower than needed grower selling, forced Canadian lentil markets higher on the week.

• Short Covering Supports Feed Pea Markets
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 16/98 -- Heavy fall shipping schedules combined with lighter than expected grower selling pushed spot values to a premium to deferred in North American field pea markets.

• Australian Pulse Crop Trimmed from 2.35 to 2.2 million MT
  DONALD -- Oct 19/98 -- Mixed weather conditions across Australia and significant disease problems in some states will result a smaller than expected pulse crop this season and a slightly larger percentage of offgrade lots.

• Methyl Bromide Ban Delayed in United States
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 20/98 -- Methyl bromide production waqs scheduled to be banned in the United States as of January 1, 2001, but a rider on the fiscal 1999 agricultural appropriations agreement between Congress and the President Clinton extends the deadline until the ear 2005.

• Mexican Bean Imports from United States Hit 138,539 MT
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 21/98 -- The latest export trade statistics for the United States reveal dry edible bean shipments to Mexico soared to 138,539 MT during the 1997-98 marketing campaign.

• Mexican Bean Imports from United States Hit 138,539 MT
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 21/98 -- The latest export trade statistics for the United States reveal dry edible bean shipments to Mexico soared to 138,539 MT during the 1997-98 marketing campaign.

• Mexican Bean Imports from United States Hit 138,539 MT
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 21/98 -- The latest export trade statistics for the United States reveal dry edible bean shipments to Mexico soared to 138,539 MT during the 1997-98 marketing campaign.

• Mexican Bean Imports from United States Hit 138,539 MT
  WASHINGTON -- Oct 21/98 -- The latest export trade statistics for the United States reveal dry edible bean shipments to Mexico soared to 138,539 MT during the 1997-98 marketing campaign.

• Light Trade Does not Hold Back Bean Prices
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 23/98 -- International dry edible bean markets were firm against light international trading activity.

• Canaryseed Manages a Slight Improvement
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 23/98 -- Canadian canaryseed markets showed a minor improvement on the week as buyers and sellers raised their price ideas.

• Larger Lentil Varieties Ease, Smaller Advance
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 23/98 -- North American lentil markets ended weekly trading on a mixed note against slower physical trading activity.

• Doubts Rising About Australian Chick Pea Harvest Size
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 23/98 -- Field peas markets were generally firmer during the week against short covering in Canadian export markets and worries about the actual size of this years Australian crop.

• Mustard PR Machine Works to Lower Grower Expectations
  EDMONTON -- Oct 24/98 -- Companies trying to cover short positions with mustard seed growers got some help from Alberta Agriculture last week. Unfortunately, markets bulls got to the price tickers first.

• USDA Tenders for 8,560 MT Pulses
  KANSAS CITY -- Oct 27/98 -- The latest USDA PL-480 food aid tender announced by the Commodity Credit Corporation office here is potentially bullish for pea bean markets.

• USDA Monthly Bean Invitation Totals 4,820 MT
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The total quantity of dry edible beans covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 15,090 MT, compared to 4,540 MT last year.

• Pea and Lentil Tenders Reach 3,740 MT
  KANSAS CITY -- STAT -- The quantity of peas and lentils covered by USDA PL-480 food aid tender this season now totals 29,450 MT, compared to 15,860 MT last year.

• USDA Dec Tenders Reach 8,560 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 44,540 MT.

• French Field Pea Exports Star Season With Brosk Pace
  PARIS -- Oct 28/98 -- Field pea disappearance levels are on pace to move this year's French field pea crop, judging from export and domestic sales figures for the opening two months of the 1998-99 marketing campaign.

• India's Pepper and Other Spice Exports Slip
  DELHI -- Export shipments of pepper and other spices dropped during the first half of the current fiscal year, according to the latest data compiled by India's Spice Board.

• Bean Markets Up in N. America, Down in South
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 30/98 -- Dry edible beans ended the latest trading period in mixed conditions on the world stage.

• Western Australia Worries About Grain Quelity Loss
  DONALD -- Oct 30/98 -- Western Australian grain growers and grain buyers were concerned that grain from frost affected areas of the State would have inferior quality at this year's harvest.

• Bean Markets Up in N. America, Down in South
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 30/98 -- Australian chick pea production prospects continue to drop in the face of devastating problems with plant diseases and the weather.

• Birdseed Ingredient Markst Lag Otgher Specialties
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 30/98 -- Birdseed ingredient markets were absent from the party last week as lackluster demand prevented prices from advancing in line with pulse crop values.

• Lentils Advance on Moderate Export Demand
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 30/98 -- North American lentils ended the week on a firming trend as part of a general improvement in North American pulse market values.

• Australian Frost Event Supports Field Pea Complex
  VANCOUVER -- Oct 30/98 -- International field pea markets ended the week on a firming note against rising worries about the Australian crop and a tangible increase in export sales.

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